Panel 1: SARS-CoV-2, mink and the potential for spillback of pathogens to humans and other animals Following an outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 on a farm of American mink, Neogale vison, there was strong evidence to suggest the mink had seemingly contracted the infection from spillover from the human pandemic, at least two farm workers have subsequently caught the virus from the mink (Enserink 2020). In December 2020, a wild American mink in Utah near a fur farm was found to be infected with SARS-CoV-2 representing the first case of a non-captive animal infected with this coronavirus. This is of particularly concern, considering that there are studies demonstrating a clear overlap in habitat use between free-ranging mink populations and farm animals (Hammershøj et al. 2005; Valnisty et al. 2020). A further case was reported in Spain with the capture of two American minks in the wild with SARS-CoV-2 infection, although in this case far from fur farms (Aguiló-Gisbert et al. 2021). Further study is required to examine the potential risk to other river-roaming species through indirect transmission routes. |