Ireland - Farmed mink to be culled over Covid concerns- November 2020

[Gert van der Hoek]

Samples have been taken from animals on a mink fur farm in Laois to test for the possibility that they may have a mutant form of Covid-19 that could impact the effectiveness of a vaccine.

The Department of Agriculture has confirmed that some testing has taken place at the farm in Vicarstown near the Kildare border but it would be a number of days before the results are known.

"The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine have collected samples from each of the farms to test for SARS-CoV-2 virus in each of the three farms to see if the virus is present in Irish mink farms. Test results should be available by the end of the week. Like all surveillance programmes the issue will be kept under constant review," said the statement.

There are three mink farms operating in Ireland. The Vasa Ltd Fur Farm is located in Co. Laois and has operated since the 1960s. The others operate in Donegal and Kerry. They have so far not commented.

Testing is understood to have taken place on staff at the locally owned farm but the HSE or the Department of Health could not confirm this.

However, the Departement of Agriculture said human testing is underway.


"To date no animals have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus in Ireland. It is also our understanding that the Department of Health is not aware of any human cases of COVID-19 associated on mink farms here," said a statement.

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Farmed mink in Ireland to be culled over Covid concerns

Farmed mink in Ireland are due to be culled over Covid-19 concerns.

The Irish government ordered that the animals be culled, despite tests carried out on the country’s mink herd not detecting any positive results of the virus to date.

The Department of Health in Ireland recommended that the mink should be culled to minimise any risk of the virus spreading.

The Department of Health has indicated that the continued farming of mink represents an ongoing risk of additional mink-adapted Sars-CoV-2 variants emerging and, therefore, it has recommended that farmed mink in Ireland should be culled to minimise or eliminate this risk​

Department of Agriculture
It comes after the Danish government decided to cull millions of farmed mink in the country after authorities found genetic changes they said might undermine the effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines for humans.

The Department of Agriculture in Ireland said it had been “working closely” with the operators of the country’s three mink farms to address any potential risks.

“Mink farmers continue to operate in full compliance with all legislative and animal welfare requirements and have co-operated fully with these efforts,” a statement from the department said.

“Testing of the mink herd in Ireland detected no positive results to Covid-19 to date.

“The Department of Health has indicated that the continued farming of mink represents an ongoing risk of additional mink-adapted Sars-CoV-2 variants emerging and, therefore, it has recommended that farmed mink in Ireland should be culled to minimise or eliminate this risk.”