The Danish government will kill millions of minks at more than 1,000 farms. They cited the fears that a mutation in the novel coronavirus that contaminated the mink might theoretically conflict with a human vaccine's efficacy.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen made the declaration on Wednesday at a press conference. In Denmark, which is one of the world's largest exporters of mink fur, there are 15 million or more minks. She claimed that the armed forces were going to be interested in mink culling.
Kare Molbak, head of the State Serum Institute (government's public health and infectious disease arm), cautioned that a mutation could interfere with potential vaccines' efficacy. According to news sources, the government has told the World Health Organisation of the virus mutation and has claimed that 12 people in its area of Jutland are confirmed to have it and that it demonstrates a slow response to antibodies.
The World Health Organization told The New York Times that several people afflicted with coronavirus from mink with certain genetic variations in the virus. The health agency noted that Denmark is currently investigating the epidemiological and virological importance of these results and destroying the mink community.
Analysis scientists outside Denmark who research the virus have been left quite in the dark without written information on the mutation or how the virus variant was examined. Dr. Stanley Perlman, a microbiologist at the University of Iowa and a novel coronavirus expert, said that he could not analyze the Danish claims without more knowledge.
Dr. Jonathan Epstein, vice president of research and outreach at the environmental organization's EcoHealth Alliance, said he had not seen any information so far. However, they will have to announce the sequences soon because evolutionary biologists are all over the situation.
Emma Hodcroft, a geneticist at the University of Basel, Switzerland, who monitors the novel coronavirus's dissemination, also issued a warning. Dr. Hodcroft advised the public "not to panic."
If you're seeing tweets about the #SARSCoV2 'mink mutation' in Denmark:
- This is all coming from press conference/release, we have no scientific context/details yet
- Details do matter when it comes to assessing this
Don't panic. Scientists will update when we have more info. — Dr Emma Hodcroft (@firefoxx66) November 4, 2020
How the mink and other animals came in to picture
In September, Dutch scientists announced that the virus was hopping between mink and humans in a paper that has not yet been peer-reviewed. In Denmark, the government identifies a variant of the virus that spread from minks to humans.
The coronavirus mutates steadily but frequently, and scientists have said that a new strain of the virus will not, in itself, be a cause for alarm.
Researchers have studied one mutation called D614G that could improve transmission in the virus spike protein. They concluded that, so far, there is no proof that the unique mutation enhances virulence or influences the functioning of a vaccine.
Denmark had already begun destroying all mink at 400 farms that were either contaminated or near enough to infected farms to trigger alarm. The killing of all minks would, maybe for years, wipe out the business.
Mink, along with ferrets, are in the weasel family and are readily contaminated with the coronavirus. Ferrets tend to be having moderate signs.
Many environmental scientists expressed concerns about transmitting the virus to animal species, such as chimpanzees, which, while cases have not yet been confirmed, are thought to be susceptible. In the United States, study organizations are testing bats and dogs as well as wild animals.
Scientists are often worrying about what happens as the virus spreads from one animal to another and may develop modifications or mutations. Although several of these improvements are not likely to be a concern for people, there is still the risk that the virus strains may become more contagious or more virulent.
A long-term approach to the mink and coronavirus issue was proposed by the activist organization Animal Conservation Denmark: "The correct move will be to stop mink farming altogether and support farmers in other professions that do not jeopardize public health and animal welfare."
Check out more news and information on COVID-19 on Science Times.
