The Ministry of Health reported on the danger of the coronavirus in mink for people

The coronavirus in mink was detected in six countries: Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and the United States.

The COVID-19 coronavirus in mink has a combination of mutations and changes never seen before. This could have future implications for the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. This was announced by Chief Medical Officer Viktor Lyashko on his Facebook page on Tuesday, November 10.

According to him, the clinical picture, the severity and the transmission of the infection among those infected by this coronavirus are similar to what is currently circulating in the world.

“However, the mink variant, also known as the ‘group 5 variant’, has a combination of mutations or changes that have not been previously observed. The likelihood of mutating the antigenic SARS-CoV-2 has yet to be proven, but in the worst case, the antigenic mutation could have consequences. immunity, reinfection and the effectiveness of vaccines against COVID-19 “, – said Lyashko.

He explained that many of the COVID-19 vaccine candidates are using the coronavirus spike protein as a target.

The medical director spoke with the Danish ambassador to Ukraine, Ole Egberg Mikkelsen, on this issue. Subsequently, he informed the State Consumer Service, the Ministry of Economic Development, the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medical Sciences on the assessment of the risks associated with the spread of the coronavirus in the mink population.

Lyashko also said that to date, coronavirus has been detected in mink in six countries: Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and the United States.

We will recall, last week the Danish authorities said they found a mutated coronavirus in mink, which can be transmitted to humans. Its new form causes poor antibody production, which could undermine vaccine development efforts. It was decided to destroy all the minks in the country: 15-17 million animals.

The mutated coronavirus in mink from early summer to mid-October was found in 214 people in northern Denmark. However, only 14 people outside the northern region have contracted this type of coronavirus.

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