Oregon state officials confirmed that a coronavirus-infected mink escaped from a farm that was quarantined in November after an outbreak that affected both mink and humans.
The fugitive mink was caught on December 13 by a team of state biologists, according to the Oregon Department of Agriculture, and tested positive for low levels of the virus a week later.
Five skunks and two cats were also caught at the same time as the mink. None of the other animals tested positive for COVID-19.
“There is no evidence that SARS-CoV-2 is circulating or has been established in the wild,” said Dr. Ryan Scholz, a veterinarian at the Oregon Department of Agriculture, in a statement.
“Still, we are taking this situation very seriously and continuing to do research and pitfalls near the farm.”
Video: Denmark kills 15 million mink farms for fear of coronavirus
State officials declined to disclose the farm’s location, citing medical privacy.
Animal welfare experts warn that farm-raised mink represents “serious concerns about disease transmission and safety protocols.”
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The outbreak could affect wildlife populations, said Jonathan Evans, legal director and attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, and could also “pose new risks” to further mutations in COVID-19.
“With a national increase in COVID-19, Oregon employees must do more to reduce and control disease outbreaks on industrial farms, requiring greater safety protocols for fur farms and better reporting on where those disease outbreaks are occurring.” , he said in a statement to USA TODAY.
In Denmark, where an outbreak of mink was reported for the first time, the mass slaughter of the entire population of mink was met with scrutiny and horror, resulting in mink “popping” from shallow pits. Later, a government official resigned after dealing with the situation.
Fortunately, authorities confirmed that the Oregon Farm mink recovered from the November outbreak. Guidance from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration requires another round of testing before the farm is no longer under lockdown.
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This article was originally published in USA TODAY: COVID: The coronavirus-infected Oregon mink escaped from the farm where