The USGS and federal and state partners investigated Utah mink farms where SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, was discovered in farmed mink in August 2020. In this follow-up study, the scientists examined a variety of mammals living on and near the farms to determine if other species were infected with the virus. They found coronaviruses in 72% of the 365 animals studied, including rodents, raccoons, skunks, mink and domestic cats.   

There are two major categories, or genera, of coronaviruses known to infect people: alpha and beta. SARS-CoV-2 is a betacoronavirus. Within these two genera are multiple groups of coronaviruses. The study identified at least three groups of alphacoronaviruses and four groups of betacoronaviruses in the mammals, including 74 detections of SARS-CoV-2 in mink. Over 10% of the animals were infected with more than one coronavirus.