#BirdFlu Is Raging on a #MinkFarm. It Could Spark a Human #Pandemic, Experts Say, but Officials Won’t Act.
by Nat Lash, ProPublica, and Julie Leopo for ProPublica
October 23, 2026, 5:00 am
"There are no federal rules for how to deal with sick mink. "
Reporting Highlights
- Deadly Outbreak: A bird flu outbreak has been raging uncontrolled on a #Utah mink farm for two months. Flu experts fear it could spark a devastating human pandemic.
- Government Failures: State officials didn’t order the mink to be killed, which other countries with outbreaks have done. They are prioritizing the financial interests of the fur trade.
- Silent Risks: Despite CDC guidance urging officials to monitor workers, they actively chose not to and declined to test workers — including one with a symptom experts said would warrant testing.
These highlights were written by the reporters and editors who worked on this story.
https://www.propublica.org/article/bird-flu-mink-farm-utah-human-risk
#FurTrade #CDCFail #USPol #USDA #AvianInfluenza #HPAI #HealthAndSafety #HPAINews