The virus first appeared in animals in August, shortly after farm workers fell ill in July, according to Utah State Veterinarian Dean Dean Taylor. Preliminary research shows that the virus was transmitted from humans to animals, and so far no case has been found to the contrary.
“Everything we’ve seen here in Utah suggests it’s gone from humans to animals,” Taylor told CNN. “It feels like a directional route,” he said, adding that testing is still ongoing. Utah was the first spread among the mink in the United States.
Kevin Hoffman, a spokesman for the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, told CNN on Friday that 2,000 mink had also died from the coronavirus on a Wisconsin farm. Officials have kept the farm separate, Hoffman said in a release, meaning no animal or animal products will leave the Taylor County campus.
Other cases have been reported in the Netherlands, Spain and Denmark, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Mink, which is closely related to gazelles, otters and ferrets, suffer from similar symptoms in humans. Difficulty breathing and peeling around the eyes are common, but the virus progresses rapidly, and most infected mink die within a second day, Taylor said.
It is unclear what makes mink such sensitive species, while others do not appear to be affected.
The cluster of cases in Utah has spread to nine farms, but Taylor warns that “we are still in the midst of an outbreak.”
Each farm is under quarantine and only required workers are allowed on site. Farm laborers are always being instructed to use appropriate protective equipment.
Most mink pills that have died from the virus are either contained and buried or burned.
Taylor said none of the pellets left the state.
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