Mink farms a continuing Covid risk to humans and wildlife, warn EU experts Tom Levitt and Sophie Kevany © Provided by The Guardian Photograph: Ole Jensen/Getty
All mink farms are at risk of becoming infected with Covid-19 and spreading the virus, and staff and animals should be regularly tested, EU disease and food safety experts said on Thursday.
Mink are highly susceptible to coronavirus, which spreads rapidly in intensive farms that often breed thousands of animals in open housing caged systems (outdoor wire cages covered with a roof). Humans are the most likely initial source of infection.
Denmark, the world’s largest exporter of mink fur, announced that it would cull up to 15 million mink in November, after discovering a mutated variant of the virus that scientists feared might have jeopardised the effectiveness of future vaccines.
Mink farms a continuing Covid risk to humans and wildlife, warn EU experts
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Mink farms a continuing Covid risk to humans and wildlife, warn EU experts
msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.