Denmark wants to cull all farmed minks over COVID fears

Denmark's prime minister said Wednesday that government wants to cull all minks in Danish farms, to minimize risk of m re-transmitting new coronavirus to humans.

Mette Frederiksen said a report from a government ncy that maps coronavirus in Denmark has shown a mutation in virus found in 12 people in rrn part of country who got infected by minks. Health Minister Magnus Heunicke said half 783 human COVID-19 cases in rrn Denmark ”are related” to mink.

“It is very, very serious,” Frederiksen said. “Thus, mutated virus in minks can have devastating consequences worldwide.”

Denmark is one of world's main mink fur exporters, producing an estimated 17 million furs per year. Kopenhn Fur, a cooperative of 1,500 Danish breeders, accounts for 40% of global mink production. Most of its exports go to China and Hong Kong.

According to government estimates, culling country's 15 million minks could cost up to 5 billion kroner ($785 million). National police he Thorkild Fogde said “it should happen as soon as possible.”

Denmark’s minister for food, Mogens Jensen, said 207 farms were w infected, up from 41 last month, and disease has spre to all of western peninsula of Jutland.

Last month, Denmark started culling millions of minks in rth of country. government has promised to compensate farmers.

country has registered 50,530 confirmed COVID-19 infections and 729 deaths.