Don't know if anyone heard about this Denmark-Mink covid transmissions with everything else going on but it is fascinating and concerning at the same time.
In Denmark they have had human - mink - human transmission and covid has mutated quite a bit before it was transmitted back to human. Currently there is 12-17 people in Denmark with this mutated mink covid that they know of. Denmark was planning to kill all of them by 2024 but now they are going to do it now.
The concern is the mutated virus has a mutation that they found through testing that causes resistance to antibodies and maybe to vaccines.
Doesn't appear so far that this mutated virus is any more or less lethal or symptoms change which is good news.
I have to say though it worries me how easy this virus can spread to animals and then back to us.
There is several other countries including the US that has mink farms.
Quote:
All mink must be killed as a result of COVID-19
The Statens Serum Institut has found a mutated form of corona virus in mink. It poses such a serious danger to public health that the government has decided that all mink in Denmark must be killed. (Article published by coronasmitte.dk) News , Published: November 4, 2020
The mutated form of the virus that Statens Serum Institut has found, showed reduced sensitivity to antibodies and it is a variant of the virus that can migrate from mink to humans. There is a risk that a future vaccine will not have an effect on the mutated form of virus.
And there is a risk that the mutated form of virus could spread to other countries.
Therefore, the government has decided that it is necessary to kill all mink in Denmark, including the breeding animals, even though it is a serious decision for the country's mink farmers. At the same time, the authorities will announce a number of additional restrictions tomorrow, which will apply to the population in a number of municipalities in North Jutland and Himmerland.
The Government has therefore decided that the situation is now so serious that both the infected herds and the herds in the immediate vicinity of the infected herds must be killed.
Efforts to kill mink throughout the country will be coordinated through the National Operating Staff (NOST). The police and the Armed Forces, together with the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, will intensify the killing of the animals.
Mink breeders who kill their animals themselves will receive increased compensation.
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