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In Denmark in the last hours we had the first real big mutation of SarsCoV2, and sadly it is not a positive mutation: the virus is different, more contagious and can re-infect humans after another species jumps out, from the mink. The Danish government has chosen to adopt a desperate regional blockade to stop the spread of a mutation of the SARS-CoV-2 that is transmitted from mink to humans. The lockdown, valid until December 3, affects 280,000 inhabitants of seven municipalities in northern Jutland, west of Denmark. The closure is necessary to control the spread of the virus, said Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who asked everyone in the area to take the test. Yesterday the government ordered the slaughter of all breeding minks, some 15 million animals in this leading country in fur production. The farms are concentrated in the confined area.
It all started after health authorities discovered a virus mutation in 12 mink-infected residents, prompting further action for four weeks. The Minister of Health, Magnus heunickesaid that half of the 783 Covid-19 cases in northern Denmark “they are tied“For mink, speaking of a” very serious “situation because”the mutated mink virus can have devastating consequences around the world“.
The Denmark It is the world’s largest producer of mink fur and its main export markets are China and Hong Kong. The slaughter began late last month after many cases of infected mink were detected. According to government estimates, the sacrifice of the 15 million animals could cost up to 5 billion crowns (785 million dollars). Since the beginning of the pandemic in Europe Cases of coronavirus have also been detected in farmed minks Netherlands me Spain.
Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen He cited a government report that the mutated virus was found to weaken the body’s ability to form antibodies, making vaccines in development for Covid-19 potentially ineffective. “We have a great responsibility towards our own population, but with this mutation we have an even greater responsibility towards the rest of the world.He said at a press conference.
More than 50 million minks are raised per year for their fur, mainly in China, Denmark, the Netherlands and Poland. Outbreaks have been reported on fur farms in the Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, Sweden and the United States, and millions of animals have been culled.
Minks, like their close ferret relatives, are known to be susceptible to the coronavirus and, like humans, can present a variety of symptoms, including pneumonia. The mink becomes infected with humans. But genetic research work would have shown that in a small number of cases, in the Netherlands and now in Denmark, the virus would have gone the other way: from mink to humans. The big concern for public health is that any mutation could undermine the effectiveness of vaccines, so much so that some scientists are now calling for a total ban on mink production. However, studies are currently underway to find out how and why minks were able to spread the infection.
“Reports on the mink population in Denmark are being responded to quickly in coordination with the Danish government and ECDCIt says this on Twitter. Hans kluge, Regional Director of the World Health Organization for Europe. “Share information on viruses, work with groups of experts in animal / human control and control and a guidance documentWhich will be delivered tomorrow to the Member States, he concludes.
Meanwhile, the United Nations announces an extraordinary summit on December 3 and 4 to respond to the spread of Covid-19 around the world and its effects “Without precedents”About society, economies, employment, world trade and travel. The President of the Assembly Volkan bozkir defines the extraordinary high-level session, approved with 150 votes in favor, zero against and the abstention of the United States, Israel and Armenia ”.a historic moment and a test for multilateralism” that “will be defined by our collective action on one of the most critical issues of our time“.
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