In any war, sacrifice is necessary.
And it seems that humanity’s fight against the much-dreaded Covid-19 is no different.
According to various reports, Denmark has issued an ultimatum:
Following the discovery of a mutated form of Covid-19 on its mink farms, the nation has decided to cull its entire mink population.
All 17 million of them.
And though it was a logical move that’s for the sake of the greater good…
One can’t help but feel saddened over it.
12 People Infected with Mutated Coronavirus from Minks So Denmark Culling All Their Minks
According to BBC News, Denmark will be eliminating its entire mink population, which is estimated to be around 17 million in total.
The decision follows the discovery of a mutated strain of Covid-19 that has been unearthed on mink farms.
12 people are believed to have contracted the new form of the virus.
Apparently, the mutation reduces the body’s proficiency in producing antibodies, and is considered a threat to any potential Covid-19 vaccines.
As such, there was no other viable route if the country wished to avoid a resurgence in the pandemic.
“Due to the discovery of a mutated infection in mink, which weakens the ability to form antibodies, resolute action is needed,” said Denmark’s prime minister Mette Frederiksen.
“It is necessary to kill all mink.
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“The mutated virus carries the risk that a future vaccine will not work as it should.”
Five Mink Farms
Denmark’s health minister Magnus Heunicke has stated that the new vein of Covid-19 was found in 5 mink farms, out of the 207 that have been affiliated with the pathogen.
Additionally, BBC highlighted that minks are especially vulnerable to catching the virus from humans, and display similar symptoms such as being asymptomatic and pneumonia.
Farm conditions also favour the spread of the virus, with numerous minks caged in close proximity.
In light of all the given notions, the nation decided to go with the undesirable – an aspect that Denmark’s foreign minister has defended, stating that they would rather go to the extreme than risk an outbreak.
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Thus far, over a million minks have been killed since late October.
Police and army personnel have been deployed to help with the elimination.
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Meanwhile, CBSnews reported that a further 12,000 mink have died in October – from the pandemic in the U.S. states of Michigan and Wisconsin.
Exorbitant Consequences
According to reports, Denmark serves as the world’s largest producer of mink furs, having manufactured around 12 to 13 million skins on an annual basis.
To go through with the cull, they will have to compensate around 800 million euros (S$1.28 billion) to farmers.
It was also a move that could mean the end of the industry.
“It is a dark day for all of us and for Denmark,” said the president of the Danish mink breeders association, Tage Pedersen.
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“Of course, we don’t want to be the cause of another pandemic but the government’s decision is a disaster for our industry and Denmark. It is a de facto permanent shutdown and liquidation of the fur industry.”
According to Yahoo News, 214 people in Denmark have been found to have mink-related coronavirus.
Meanwhile, the country has reported 52,265 human cases of Covid-19 and 733 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.
Elsewhere
Elsewhere, a mutated form of the coronavirus has also been discovered.
On 16 Aug, Malaysia announced that they’ve found a mutated strain of the Covid-19 virus, the D614G, within the country.
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They added that the new strain seems to be 10 times more infectious than the original strain.
Thereafter, it was revealed that the mutated strain was present in the Philippines as well.
And the same goes for Singapore.
However, unlike the mink-related vein, the D641G is not considered to be a threat to vaccines.
“This mutation would certainly not impact vaccine efficacy since vaccines would generate antibodies that bind to many different parts of the virus spike protein and not just be limited to the site of mutation,” says Professor Ooi Eng Eong.
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Featured Image: Aleksandra Saveljeva / Shutterstock.com