[ad_1]
COPENHAGEN: Several Danish lawmakers are calling for the bodies of dead minks slaughtered to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus be dug up and taken to a waste incinerator, the Jyllands-Posten newspaper reported on Friday (November 27).
The call follows reports that some of the minks have risen from their shallow graves in western Denmark after gases accumulated inside their bodies, Danish authorities said Thursday.
“The gases cause the animals to expand and in the worst case, the minks are thrown out of the ground,” said Jannike Elmegaard of the Danish Food and Veterinary Administration. He said it affected “a few hundred” animals.
Denmark ordered all farmed minks to be euthanized earlier this month after discovering that a mutated coronavirus, which infected 12 people, showed lower sensitivity to antibodies, which could reduce the effectiveness of any vaccine.
READ: Denmark’s mutated mink COVID-19 is very likely extinct, says Ministry of Health
LEE: Denmark defends COVID-19 measures after mink mutation
The minks were buried in trenches about 2.5m deep and covered with about 2m of soil, the Danish Food and Veterinary Administration said.
Mass graves are guarded 24 hours a day to keep people and animals away from the graves until a fence is built, he said.
LEE: Danish Prime Minister crying after visiting a mink farmer whose animals were euthanized
READ: COVID-19 mink removal puts Danish government in legal trouble
Authorities say there is no risk of the graves spreading the coronavirus, but residents have complained of the potential risk of contaminating drinking water and a bathing lake less than 200 meters from mass graves.
CHECK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments
Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram
