Denmark To Kill Up To 17 Million Minks After Discovering Mutated Coronavirus
"Denmark is killing its large mink population after discovering a coronavirus mutation that can spread to humans, the nation's government said Wednesday.
The country, which is the world's largest supplier of mink fur, will cull as many as 17 million animals in an effort to stop the spread.
She said Danish officials have seen the mutated virus display a weak reaction to antibodies.
The government said it is concerned that the variant could reduce the effectiveness of a future vaccine. It's worth noting that all viruses mutate, something that doesn't necessarily mean they are more dangerous.
Danish officials notified the World Health Organization and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
Twelve people have been diagnosed with the virus strain so far, according to the WHO. About 200 coronavirus cases in total can be traced to exposure from mink.
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Emma Hodcroft, a virologist and postdoctoral researcher at the University of Basel, in Switzerland, urged people not to panic.
There's not enough information to tell how dangerous the mutation is, she explained on Twitter. Hodcroft also criticized the lack of information disclosed.
"If Denmark believes this is serious enough to kill their entire mink population," Hodcroft tweeted, "one would perhaps also conclude that this [is] serious enough to pass on the information about these mutations to scientists worldwide as quickly as possible to see if variants are found elsewhere."
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Holland had problems with infected mink in June. And as the article mentions Utah had a lot of theirs die because of Covid-infections.
