Lithuanian mink also infected with COVID-19; tearful Danish Premier apologises to farmers

Amid rising fears that coronavirus mutations in minks may affect vaccine efficacy, Lithuania’s veterinary agency said “dozens” had been killed among 60,000 mink at a sole farm infected. According to DW report, the agency head Darius Remeika said that the viral source was possibly a worker at the mink farm in Lithuania’s central Jonava region who had tested COVID positive. Furthermore, the agency also informed that at the affected farm, 169 mink had died suddenly, 22 were found to be infected and 40 would be culled. 

While visiting a mink farming family at Kolding in central Denmark, Danish Prime Minister Mette Fredriksen personally apologised for her government’s handling of the pandemic. While speaking to broadcaster TV2, Fredriksen said that the “really skilled” mink farmers had lost their life’s work. Wiping away tears several times, she added that it has been emotional for them and for her too. She also said that the mistakes had been made and it was not the fault of breeders, but it is because of coronavirus. 

READ: Italy Slaps Temporary Ban On Mink Farming Amid Rising Fear Of Mutated COVID-19 Strains

Over 10 million minks culled in Denmark 

According to reports, so far, around 10 million of Denmark’s 17 million minks have been culled, including those of the family which lost its entire herd. Lithuania, on the other hand, has 86 mink farmers and the Baltic nation has also recorded over 2,100 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, with 448 deaths and 53,757 confirmed infections since early 2020. 

READ: Danish Agriculture Minister Quits Over Mink Culling Fiasco

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.

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. Denmark had imposed the restrictions on November 5 and they were originally been due to stay in place till December 3. Meanwhile, all minks in the seven municipalities have been culled, totalling 10.2 million the ministry said in its statement. The slaughter is still ongoing in other parts of the country, it added. 

READ: World’s Largest Fur Auctioneer To Shut Down After Link Between Covid & Mink Is Discovered

READ: Main Cooperative Selling Mink To Shut Down Due To Culling