Infection of minks with the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 occurred in five other countries besides Denmark – in the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Italy and the United States. Writes about this TASS with reference to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Experts note that the coronavirus is mainly transmitted between people through close contact. However, there have been cases where the transmission of the virus has occurred between humans and animals. According to the WHO, minks become infected from people infected with the coronavirus. These animals, in turn, transmit the virus to each other and pose a threat to humans.
On November 6, it became known that the inhabitants of Denmark were massively infected with a mutated coronavirus in minks. Variants of the mink virus were detected between 8 June and 18 October in 214 people. At the same time, a dangerous strain, due to which they plan to kill 17 million minks in Denmark, was found in 12 people.
Earlier, the Danish government announced the closure of North Jutland and banned residents from leaving the region in order to stop the spread of a new type of coronavirus found in minks. From November 7, restaurants, cafes and pubs will be completely closed in the region, but take-away establishments will be able to work. Public transport between the seven municipalities is also being closed. In addition, schoolchildren of grades 5-8 and university students will switch to distance learning from November 9.
Prior to this, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed the susceptibility of minks to coronavirus, which makes them dangerous to humans. According to WHO spokesman Catherine Smallwood, minks are quite capable of transmitting infections. Therefore, there is a risk that the mink population may somehow facilitate the transmission of the virus from mink to humans and then among humans.
On November 5, Denmark decided to destroy all minks on fur farms to prevent the spread of the mutated coronavirus. In these animals, an infection was found that spreads to humans and contributes to the weakening of the ability to form antibodies.
