Dead mink are pushed up by the mass graves

Several million mink have been killed in Denmark, following the discovery of mutated versions of the coronavirus that have spread from mink to humans.

A large number of dead mink are buried at the Danish military’s training ground at Holsterbro. Problems have now arisen at the mass graves, where several carcasses have begun to come to the surface, reports Danmarks Radio.

– During the decay process, some gases can be formed which causes the whole thing to expand a little. That way, in the worst case, they get pushed up off the ground, says press officer Thomas Kristensen in the National Police, to the channel.

According to Kristensen, the National Police, which has the ultimate responsibility for the funeral, has tried to take into account that this could happen, by burying the mink at least one meter underground.

The challenge is that the sandy soil in the area is too light. The authorities also have no experience of burying such a large number of animals in one place.

Sharp criticism of the government

The killing order for the mink breeders came from Prime Minister Mette Fredriksen in early November, before the government a few days later admitted that they did not have the legal authority to order the mass killing of healthy animals.

Food Minister Mogens Jensen therefore sent out a letter of apology in which he explained what the government had misinterpreted. He nevertheless kept the call to the breeders to contribute to gaining control of the infection situation, by killing their animals.

Some breeders stopped the killing, while the interest organization Danske Minkavlere does not see any way back for the industry.

The mistake has created strong reactions in Denmark, and led, among other things, to the Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Mogens Jensen resigning as Minister of State a week ago.

– It is clear that it is absolutely necessary for me to have the trust of the parliamentary parties to carry out my job. It is my assessment that I no longer have the necessary support among the parliamentary parties, he told DR.

On November 19, the health authorities wrote in a press release that they consider it very likely that the mutated version of the virus has been eradicated.