Poland - Mink and minkworkers will be tested for Covid-19 - Tested positive

[Gert van der Hoek]

14 nov. 2020

Minister Puda: Examine Polish mink

“Animal health checks on farms are now a priority. To this end, Minister Grzegorz Puda commissioned the Chief Veterinary Officer ( Bogdan Konopka ) to conduct research on the possibility of this virus occurring in mink on farms in various regions of Poland, reads the announcement of the Ministry of Agriculture on Tuesday (10 November) . The minister also commissioned him to carry out a risk analysis and possibly undertake diagnostic tests for the possibility of this virus in Polish mink.

In addition, at the National Veterinary Institute of the National Research Institute in Puławy, a team with diagnosticians in the composition was set up, prepared to perform similar tests on farm animals and human companions, if there were symptoms of COVID-19 among mink farmers.

Appeal of the head of the Ministry of Agriculture to mink farmers

Minister Puda also appealed to the owners of the farms to monitor the mink health and the health of the workers handling these animals. Each suspected human case is to be immediately reported to the Sanitary Inspection, and in mink cases - to the Veterinary Inspection.

On the other hand, the Chief Veterinary Officer asked the Chief Sanitary Inspector, Jarosław Pinkas, for information whether the infection with SARS-CoV-2 or COViD-19 was confirmed in mink farmers or people working on farms breeding these animals.

[Gert van der Hoek]

Min of Agriculture: Research on coronavirus in mink

10/11/2020

Following the reports of the Danish veterinary services regarding the detection of the mutant SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in mink, Grzegorz Puda, the minister of agriculture and rural development, immediately took the necessary measures to prevent new threats.

[Gert van der Hoek]

Poland finds COVID-19 cases among mink farm workers

WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland has found 18 cases of coronavirus among mink farm workers as it continues tests among the animals, but does not believe the workers were infected by the animals, sanitary and veterinary authorities said.

Poland, which is a major producer of mink fur, started coronavirus tests among its farmed minks and checks among the workers earlier this month after a mutated virus was detected in farmed minks in Denmark, leading to a nationwide cull there.

While the authorities have not yet received results of the animal tests, it said that COVID-19 cases were confirmed among people connected with the farms.

The Chief Sanitary Inspectorate said there were 18 cases of infections among farm workers that were unrelated to each other. “Currently, there is no basis to conclude that minks were the source of infection for these 18 cases,” it said in an email to Reuters.