Published 15:38 IST, December 15th 2020
US reports first case of coronavirus among wild minks after Denmak and Italy
In the US, the first ever case of coronavirus in mink has been reported around an infected mink farm in Utah, said a US veterinary official.
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In the United States, the first ever case of coronavirus in mink has been reported around an infected mink farm in Utah, said a US veterinary official in an alert to the International Society for Infectious Diseases. According to the reports by BBC, Dr Dan Horton, a veterinary expert at the University of Surrey, UK said that this is the first known detection of the coronavirus in a "free-ranging wild mink". Keeping in mind the previous cases in Europe, this could further lead to concerns regarding the spreading of virus.
However, as of now, there is no evidence that the virus is being spread. Horton said that the virus strain detected in the wild mink was similar to the one found in the mink which was captive in a nearby farm. Also, no other animals have so far tested positive around the infected farm in the United States.
Virus spreading in Mink
The case in Italy is also similar as the country's administration has banned mink farming till next year March. Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza signed a declaration on November 23 banning mink farming. Italy has a small population of farmed mink compared to other EU countries, the health authority said. However, the government has decided to adopt the policy of maximum precaution amid the rising fear. Millions of farmed mink have been culled across Europe after Denmark confirmed that over 200 people had been infected with mink-related coronavirus strains. The cases also included 12 people who developed a lower sensitivity to the COVID-19 neutralising antibodies.
Earlier, Denmark's health ministry had 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. Denmark had ordered to cull the country's 15 to 17 million minks in a bid to prevent the spread of the coronavirus variant.
In a separate development, the world's largest fur auction house, Kopenhagen Fur, announced that it will be shutting down after the government’s order of culling the country's mink population due to fear of mutation. As per CEO Jesper Lauge, this means that 300 people will be losing their jobs. The mutated version of COVID-19 was detected at mink farms in Denmark's North Jutland region, following which authorities had ordered culling of the animals. This is not the first time that COVID-19 cases have been detected in minks. Earlier, mink farms in Spain and the Netherlands also reported COVID cases among animals and staff members. Officials in both countries also opted for the culling of the mink population at farms, where the cases were detected in order to prevent further animal-to-human transmissions.
(Image Credits: AP)
15:40 IST, December 15th 2020