zlacker

I have not researched this mink idea, so I don't know how likely they are to lead to cross species contamination, but remember the swine flu? We already know pigs are capable of such transmission and we still farm them.

Lots of mammals are capable of this, and we can determine which ones are even if we don't isolate the cause of thie pandemic.

>>boombo+(OP)
Minks (and other mustelids) are extraordinarily capable of transmitting human respiratory viral diseases. Ferrets (same genus as Minks) are used as an animal model for human influenza research for that reason.

SARS-CoV-2 also spreads exceptionally well on mink farms. Out of a total of 128 mink farms in the Netherlands, at least 69[0] had an outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 in 2020, with more suspected cases. On at least two farms, there were confirmed transmissions from the animals to farm workers. It is likely mink would form a natural reservoir SARS-CoV-2 if allowed to spread in the wild.

Mink farming has subsequently been banned since early 2021 in the Netherlands.

[0]: https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/coronavirus-covid-1... (Dutch)