[ad_1]
The Danish government plans to remove all types of mink animals from the country after detecting a new strain of the emerging corona virus that can be transmitted to humans.
Danish Prime Minister Mte Frederiksen said on Wednesday that the decision was made with a “sad heart”, but that it was necessary based on the recommendation of health authorities.
Denmark is the largest mink fur producer in the world.
Frederiksen noted that the Statens Serum Institute, which is the Copenhagen-based Danish authority dealing with infectious diseases, found five cases of coronavirus infection in mink farms and 12 human examples that showed less sensitivity to antibodies.
Allowing the coronavirus to spread could limit the effectiveness of future vaccines.
“We have a great responsibility towards our population, but with the boom that has now been discovered, we also have a greater responsibility towards the rest of the world,” said Fredericksen.
There are between 15 and 17 million mink animals in Denmark, according to authorities, and the Corona virus outbreak has continued in the country’s mink farms despite repeated efforts to euthanize infected animals since last June.
One million minke animals were euthanized within an 8.4 km radius of suspected or confirmed cultured infection last October.
Frederiksen noted that the police, army and National Guard would be deployed to Denmark to speed up the execution process.
The mink animals were also executed in both the Netherlands and Spain after they were found to have a Corona virus infection there.
The prime minister said that new restrictions will be imposed in certain regions of Denmark to contain the spread of the new strain of Corona virus, including the municipalities of “Yering”, “Frederikshavn” and “Brunderslev”.
Frederiksen added that “residents of those municipalities will have to prepare for further restrictions in the near future.”
Source: CNN
[ad_2]
