State and federal officials did little to contain a bird flu outbreak in Utah
A ProPublica investigation found a bird flu outbreak has continued for more than two months on a Utah farm raising thousands of mink. Officials issued a verbal hold barring mink, manure and carcasses from being moved off the farm. Experts remain concerned, while Utah’s approach relies on reports rather than automatic quarantine and testing of nearby farms.
More context
A bird flu outbreak has continued for over two months at a Utah fur operation with a mink herd numbering in the thousands, while state and federal officials have done little to contain it, a ProPublica investigation found. Experts told ProPublica that mink have lungs and airways similar to people’s at a cellular level, have caught and spread other flu viruses, and have infected some people with COVID-19. They described the response as “irresponsible” and “puzzling”; one expert called it “playing with fire.”
State veterinarian Amanda Price gave the farm a verbal hold barring the movement of mink, manure or carcasses. Price said there had been no spread from the farm or linked cases elsewhere in Utah. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials spoke with state health department counterparts but not Price, who did not contact them.
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Verifier’s note
CNN reports an uncontrolled bird flu outbreak on a Utah mink farm and describes the potential risks to people, consistent with the proposed event. The result is dated October 26, 2026, so it is current.