[ad_1]
Denmark will kill all of the 15 million minks in the country, because the mink causes the coronavirus to mutate to a version that is more resistant to antibodies and thus can make the coronavine vaccine not work.
In Norway, there are currently around 40 mink farms, reports Dagbladet veterinarian and section manager Ole Hermann Tronerud of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.
These farms are spread over much of the country, but mostly in Rogaland, eastern Norway and Trøndelag.
Just before logging in November, the largest farms can hold up to 17,000 minks, according to Tronerud.
More than a million minks infected with corona
Small risk
He emphasizes that no coronavirus has been detected in mink in Norway, and that there is no suspicion that mink in Norway are infected with the virus that produces covid-19.
– The Norwegian mink does not currently pose a risk of infection to humans, says the section head.
The risk of infected mink in Denmark infecting mink in Norway is also very small, he believes.
– It is extremely unlikely to happen. The risk of the Norwegian mink becoming infected with the virus comes from the people who are in contact with it, says Tronerud.
Focus on infection control
He believes that Norwegian mink farms have good conditions to prevent the mink from being infected with the covid-19 virus.
– The number of people who have contact with mink is limited and the industry has focused more on infection control since this spring. In addition, we have far fewer mink farms in Norway than in Denmark, and we understand that there is less general cooperation, says Tronerud.
It adds that the Norwegian Food Safety Authority considers that Norwegian mink farmers are aware of the situation.
– They have reported well through their own organization. Mink farmers are vigilant and have been encouraged to introduce good infection control routines, says the section chief.
No minkcorona found since September
– Uncertain future
Lars Petter Bartnes from the Norwegian Farmers Association tells Dagbladet that they consider what is happening in Denmark very serious.
– The Norwegian leather industry is concerned about what is happening in Denmark, says Bartnes.
– And we at Bondelaget believe that what is happening in Denmark is very dramatic, both in terms of the infection situation for humans, as well as the fact that the authorities choose to eliminate all mink production as a measure. It’s a tough decision based on a professional foundation, Bartnes continues.
– How serious is this for Danish mink farmers?
– It is an important industry in the Danish context. Denmark is the world’s largest mink producer and it is unclear if they may start producing again after this, says Bartnes.
see more
Very worried
It was in early October that Danish authorities made very worrying findings: a major crown outbreak in mink.
– Our biologists, who study the virus, have already found some mutations in the protein found on the surface of the virus, emergency manager Nikolas Kühn Hove of the Danish Food Safety Authority told Dagbladet.
I was very worried. Obviously, he had a good reason.
Because despite strong attempts to quell the outbreaks, the virus did not stop. However, it began to mutate.
And now, last Wednesday, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced that they will kill all 15 million minks in the country, because the mink causes the coronavirus to mutate to a more antibody-resistant version.
see more
“Team 5”
Norwegian health authorities sounded the alarm when they received new information about a variant of the coronavirus called “cluster 5”, which originated in Denmark after the corona infection between mink and humans.
Deputy Health Director Espen Rostrup Nakstad tells Dagbladet that this weekend they received information from Denmark that changes have been found in the surface protein of the “group 5” variant.
It turns out that these changes mean that the antibodies have a reduced effect against “group 5” compared to the regular coronavirus. Therefore, the Norwegian health authorities fear that this variant could reduce the effect of a future coronavine vaccine.
Department Head Tyra Grove Krause at the Statens Serum Institut in Denmark claims that the last recorded case of the crown mutation “Cluster 5” was recorded in September, but says that it cannot yet be concluded that the mutation is extinct.
– We have not been able to stop the spread on mink farms, despite very persistent effort, he says.
She says Danish health authorities have exchanged information about the new mutation with international health authorities.
Help offered
The Norwegian Food Safety Authority is closely monitoring and receiving information on cases in Denmark in particular and Europe in general.
– We have regular contact with our colleagues in Denmark in various areas and we exchange information when necessary. We have also offered help if in the current situation, with the crown and the consequences this has for international travel, etc., it is possible to arrive safely for our staff, says Tronerud.
Serious incident
Tronerud will not comment on how the Danes handle the situation they find themselves in, as it is based on public health assessments conducted in Denmark.
– No matter what type of infectious disease outbreak occurs on a fur farm, it is a serious incident and it will always be important to prevent the spread, he says.
– To try to avoid ending up in a situation similar to Denmark and to be able to detect any infection early, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority has decided to offer animal owners the opportunity to examine dead or sick / injured minks that are euthanized free of charge, and thus monitor minks. in the Norwegian fur industry for SARS-CoV-2, he says.
It is a collaboration between the Norwegian Veterinary Institute, the Norwegian Association for Fur Animals and the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.
Full alarm sounded for new findings
Urgent report
The Norwegian Health Directorate today presented an urgent report to the Ministry of Health and Care Services, in which they recommend that all people who arrive or have been in Denmark in the last two weeks that they be tested, put them in quarantine and inform the municipality where they are staying. host and they are quarantined.
