Local fur farmers and vets are monitoring locally farmed mink for any possible symptoms of COVID-19.

It’s part of regular practices to reduce the risk of infectious diseases on fur farms.

Mink are especially susceptible to the virus, which has been ripping through fur farms in the United States and Europe resulting in huge losses.

The Department of Fisheries, Forestry, and Agriculture says infections have been reported at farms in the US, Netherlands, Denmark, and Spain, leading to the closure of many farms.

The department says to-date there have been no confirmed reports of COVID-19 on mink farms in this country.

All local mink farms have biosecurity plans that include controlled access to farms, and disinfection protocols to help reduce the risk of infectious diseases.

The government says the use of masks is also practiced on farms to protect both the animals and the public.