Denmark culls 10.2 million minks; says mutated coronavirus 'most likely eradicated'

Denmark's health ministry on Thursday, November 19 said the mutated version of the novel coronavirus stemming from Danish minks has 'most likely been eradicated'. The ministry said no new cases of the 'Cluster 5' mink mutation were reported since September 15 hence the Danish infectious disease authority SSI concluded that the new variant has most likely been eradicated. The government had ordered to cull the country's 15 to 17 million minks in a bid to prevent the spread of the coronavirus variant.

The Danish government further said most of the strict restrictions on seven municipalities in the North Jutland region which is home to 280,000 people, would be lifted on Friday. The government had imposed the restrictions on November 5 and they were originally been due to stay in place till December 3.

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10.2 million minks culled in Denmark

Meanwhile, all minks in the seven municipalities have been culled, totaling 10.2 million the ministry said in its statement. The slaughter is still ongoing in other parts of the country, it added. The Scandinavian country is the world's biggest exporter with three times more minks than people. It sells pelts for around 670 million euros ($792 million) annually, and the second-biggest producer after China. Two weeks ago, Denmark government had ordered to cull all farmed mink in the country to control the outbreaks of COVID-19, a situation worsened by the discovery of a mutated variant, which authorities said showed reduced sensitivity to antibodies.

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Danish Agriculture Minister quits over Mink culling

On Wednesday, the Danish minister in charge of farming resigned as he took the blame for the government ordering the culling of all farmed mink without having the necessary legislation in place first. The culling was ordered after a mutated version of the coronavirus was found in some farms and had infected people. There is no evidence that the mutated version is more dangerous but the government moved quickly out of safety, though it lacked the legal basis to order the killing of healthy animals too. “I have today informed the prime minister that I want to resign from the government,” said Mogens Jensen, the 57-year-old agriculture minister. Meanwhile, the opposition parties in Denmark are calling for Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to step down too, saying she was ultimately responsible for everything.

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(With agency inputs) (Image-AP)