For the first time in the United States, avian influenza (bird flu) has been confirmed on a fur farm. On Friday, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service disclosed avian influenza infection in captive mink in Utah (the farm location was not disclosed).
The outbreak is a threat not only for workers at the farm, but is also a public health concern for surrounding communities. There is a potential for transmission of the disease between mink, other animals, and humans.