Latvia detects uncontrolled mutation of COVID among minks; can be 'potentially dangerous'

In another worry for the world reeling under the now fast-spreading highly-mutated Omicron, an uncontrolled mutation of COVID-19 has been found in a Latvian fur farm near Bauska where the minks were being raised. Scientists have been rendered shocked to find that many such coronavirus mutations have been developing since early spring 2021 at Latvia’s SIA Baltic Devon Mink fur farm ‘uncontrollably’ where 100 thousand minks breed.

Several of the minks were infected from coronavirus, and a repeated transmission from person to animal and vice versa was detected. The entire population of 100,000 animals may have to be culled, the Estonian news outlet Delfi reported. 

The first cases of COVID-19 among the farm mink in Latvia were first reported in mid-April, but the scientists believe that the virus may have been introduced to the fur farm between February 20 and March 3, this year. Authorities grew suspicious after several of the farm employees contracted the novel COVID-19. In a statement, the Latvian Biomedical Research Centre (BMC) pointed out that the transmission of the coronavirus between animals and humans cannot be controlled after news of the Latvian farm spread emerged.

"The transmission of the virus between animals cannot, in principle, be controlled. The evolution of the virus is uncontrolled. We do not know what new mutations may appear there," researcher at the Biomedicine Research Center (BMC) Monta Briviba told Delfi. She was part of a team of scientists involved in the sequencing of viruses in Latvian minks. 

'Potentially dangerous' Latvian strain? 

The impact of the new mutations among the minks on humans is also not clear. The scientists, however, have stressed that these new mutations may be “potentially dangerous” and can reduce the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines. A researcher at the Monta Briviba Centre even suggested that they might be called a “Latvian strain,” the Latvian newspaper noted. The BMC has now told Latvian reporters that there must be no other solution but to destroy the animal population to halt any spread among humans. 

“Minks continued to get sick throughout the spring and summer, and by the summer a paradoxical situation had developed: the delta strain confidently dominated the world, while both minks and Baltic Devon Mink employees continued to be infected with the strain that was spread in early spring,” the Estonian news outlet Delfi reports. 

While the scientists have not described in detail what these new and dangerous mutations are, they stressed some of these mutations turned out to be “completely new.” “There were at least four mutations that were described in the scientific literature as potentially dangerous. There are concerns that such mutations could reduce the effectiveness of vaccines," Delfi quoted Briviba. Baltic Devon Mink board member Bob van Ansem, meanwhile, told the outlet that the farm adhered to strict health safety and security protocol for both employees and the minks.

The last case of infection of an employee of the company was recorded 2.5 months ago, according to Latvia’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. The Food and Veterinary Service notes that infected minks have not displayed any symptoms of the COVID-19.  If desired, the type of virus circulating on the farm could already be called a "Latvian strain,” scientist Monta Briviba told Delfi.