Denmark will be culling its entire mink population of around 17 million over fears of a mutated strain of Covid-19 which was discovered on mink farms, the BBC reported.

The country's Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, stated that the mutation posed a threat to a future Covid-19 vaccine as it has been found to weaken the body's ability to produce antibodies.

She was quoted by the Financial Times (FT) as saying:

"Due to the discovery of a mutated infection in mink, which weakens the ability to form antibodies, resolute action is needed. It is necessary to kill all mink.

The mutated virus carries the risk that a future vaccine will not work as it should."

In stressing the severity of the situation, Kaare Molbak, Denmark’s top epidemiologist, added that in the worst-case scenario, the Covid-19 pandemic could restart in Denmark.

Both the police and the army have been mobilised to help with the cull.

12 people have been infected by the mutated strain

Meanwhile, Denmark's health minister, Magnus Heunicke, highlighted that the mutated strain has been discovered at five mink farms, out of the 207 farms that have been infected with Covid-19 thus far, according to CBSNews. 

Over a million minks have been culled since late October.

In addition, 12 people have also been found to have been infected by the mutated strain, FT further reported.

Heunicke added that while the cases were not severely ill, they were not responding positively to antibodies.

While the World Health Organisation has played down the possibility of a mutant strain, Denmark's Foreign Minister defended the culling, saying they rather go a step too far, then risk an outbreak.

Mink are susceptible to Covid-19

The BBC highlighted that minks are susceptible of catching to Covid-19 from humans, and can similarly show a range of symptoms from being asymptomatic to more severe conditions such as pneumonia.

Danish media The Local further reported that farm conditions also facilitate the spread and mutation of the virus as thousands of mink are packed closely in cages.

CBSnews further reported that over 12,000 mink died on farms in Oct. from an outbreak of Covid-19 in the U.S. states of Michigan and Wisconsin.

Denmark's status as largest producer of mink fur to take a severe hit

The cull is therefore expected to bring the industry to a halt for several years, Frederiksen admitted, according The Local.

Denmark is the world's largest producer of mink furs, with an average of 12 million to 13 million skins being produced annually.

The Guardian reported that the cost of the cull, which includes compensation to farmers, will cost roughly 800 million euros (S$1.28 billion).

The president of the Danish mink breeders association, Tage Pedersen, added that the move would effectively mean the end of the industry.

He said:

"It is a dark day for all of us and for Denmark. Of course, we don’t want to be the cause of another pandemic but the government’s decision is a disaster for our industry and Denmark. It is a de facto permanent shutdown and liquidation of the fur industry.”

Top collage left photo by Dzīvnieku brīvība via Flickr, right photo by by Ole Jensen/Getty Images