This is a rapidly developing story, and not an encouraging one. Via CTV News, an AFP report: Six countries reported coronavirus on mink farms, WHO says. Excerpt:
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND -- Denmark and the United States are among six countries that have reported new coronavirus cases linked to mink farms, the World Health Organization said.
Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden are the other nations to have discovered SARS-CoV-2 in minks, WHO said in a statement.
Denmark has imposed strict measures on the north of the country after warning that a mutation of the virus had jumped from minks to humans and infected 12 people.
Copenhagen has warned the mutation could threaten the effectiveness of any future vaccine and has ordered the slaughter of all the estimated 15-17 million minks in the country.
Britain on Saturday banned entry to all non-resident foreigners coming from Denmark after the mutation linked to mink farms was found in humans.
Scientists say virus mutations are common and often harmless, and this one doesn't cause a more severe illness in humans.
But Danish health authorities have expressed concern this strain, known as "Cluster 5", is not inhibited by antibodies to the same degree as the normal virus, which they fear could threaten the efficacy of vaccines that are being developed across the globe.
