Denmark will sacrifice 17 million animals to contain coronavirus mutation

Denmark will sacrifice about 17 million mink, small mammals similar to North American weasels, due to the discovery that humans have been infected by a new mutation of the coronavirus from contact with these animals.

The announcement was made on Wednesday (4) by the Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen.

According to the country’s health authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO), strains of the virus found in both species may decrease the effectiveness of vaccines that have been developed against Covid-19.

“We have a great responsibility for our population, but with the identification of the new mutation, we have an even greater responsibility towards the rest of the world,” said Frederiksen in a statement.

The discovery occurred at the State Serum Institute, an organ of the European country that is responsible for the control of infectious diseases, and was shared with OM and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control.

Strains of the mutant virus have been found in five mink and 12 humans, the Danish government said. There are between 15 million and 17 million specimens of the animal in the country.

Danish military, police and national guards forces will be recruited to “speed up the slaughter”, says the prime minister.

New measures of social isolation and implementation of lockdown will be implemented to contain the coronavirus in parts of Northern Denmark, where there are farms that breed the bug.