Covid 19 coronavirus: Denmark wants to cull all farmed minks over Covid fears

Andrea from Eden Terrace

The other victims of Covid19 ... from cages to culling
Denmark's prime minister said yesterday that the government wants to cull all minks in Danish farms, to minimise the risk of them re-transmitting the new coronavirus to humans.
Mette Frederiksen said a report from a government agency that maps the coronavirus in Denmark has shown a mutation in the virus found in 12 people in the northern part of the country who got infected by minks. Health Minister Magnus Heunicke said half the 783 human Covid-19 cases in northern Denmark "are related" to mink.
A total of 207 out of the 1139 fur farms in Denmark has been infected with Covid-19, which prompted the announcement. Millions of mink will be killed as a result.

Animal welfare group Humane Society International applauded the prime minister for taking "such an essential and science-based step to protect Danish citizens," and said it hoped that losing so many mink to the coronavirus causes fur farms to get out of the business.

"Although the death of millions of mink - whether culled for Covid-19 or killed for fur - is an animal welfare tragedy, fur farmers will now have a clear opportunity to pivot away from this cruel and dying industry and choose a more humane and sustainable livelihood instead," Humane Society International-Europe spokesperson Joanna Swabe said.