Denmark coronavirus mutation found in mink spreads to 214 people

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The mutated form of coronavirus found in Danish mink has now spread to more than 200 people as Denmark’s Prime Minister warned the strain ‘could pose a risk that future vaccines won’t work’. 

The country announced more than 280,000 people in the north Jutland region will now be in lockdown amid growing fears over the spread of the mutated virus.

The mutation had been detected in 11 cases in the region a day ago, but now 214 people are infected according to Denmark’s infectious diseases agency.

The nation’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said immediate action was necessary as the ‘eyes of the world are on us’. 

It comes as the national government announced it will cull its mink population of up to 17 million in an effort to minimise the risk of them re-transmitting the new version of coronavirus to humans.

In response, mink farmers today protested in the Danish town of Holstebro, in Jutland. Their tractors formed long queues in the local area.

The UK government announced that Denmark will be removed from the safe travel list in the early hours of this morning following the spread of the mutated virus in the Scandinavian country.

UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced in an ‘urgent’ late-night update the country would be stripped of its quarantine-free status at 4am. 

Denmark’s Prime Minister said seven areas of north Jutland where there are confirmed coronavirus in mink will be locked down, with residents told to remain within their local areas from Thursday night. 

‘From tonight, citizens in seven areas of north Jutland are strongly encouraged to stay in their area to prevent the spread of infection,’ the Frederiksen told a news conference on Thursday.  

She said people were being ordered not to travel there, while bars and restaurants would also shut.

‘We are asking you in north Jutland to do something completely extraordinary,’ Frederiksen said, talking of a ‘real closure’ of the region.

‘The eyes of the world are on us,’ she added.

Today, Danish State Serum Institute said 214 people are infected with the mutated form of coronavirus, which has spread from mink to humans, reports Ekstra Bladet. 

Public transport in the region will be shut down with buses and trains stopped from entering or leaving. 

Some schoolchildren will have to follow their classes online in restrictions that are due to last a month.

The lockdown comes as Frederiksen said on Wednesday that the mutated virus in farmed minks could have ‘devastating consequences worldwide’ and action to cull the population was ‘necessary’. 

Frederiksen told a press conference: ‘We have a great responsibility towards our own population, but with the mutation that has now been found, we have an even greater responsibility for the rest of the world as well.’ 

‘The mutated virus in mink could pose a risk that future (coronavirus) vaccines won’t work they should,’ the Prime Minister said, adding that it ‘risks being spread from Denmark to other countries’ if no action is taken.  

Denmark is one of the world’s main mink fur exporters, producing an estimated 17 million furs per year. 

Tensions have risen among mink farmers since the announcement to cull Denmark’s mink population.

Today, farmers protested against the decision in Holstebro, in Jutland, with their tractors forming long queues.  

The mutation had already been detected in 12 people earlier this week – 11 cases in the region being closed down, and one in another. 

Per Back Laursen, the mayor of the Vesthimmerland municipality in the north Jutland region, told Politiken on Thursday: ‘Until a few days ago, we were low on the [number of] infections, but then it suddenly went completely wild.

‘It will be a dark time.’   

Scientists say virus mutations are common and often harmless.

Some experts have nevertheless called on Denmark to release more scientific data to better evaluate this one.

According to Danish authorities, this virus mutation doesn’t cause a more severe illness in humans.

But it is not inhibited by antibodies to the same degree as the normal virus, which they fear could threaten the efficacy of coronavirus vaccines that are being developed around the world.

In north Jutland, health authorities believe around five percent of coronavirus patients could be carrying this mutated strain, but no recent case has been reported.

As such, Viggo Andreasen, epidemiology professor at Roskilde University, said the mutation had ‘quite a good chance’ of disappearing, as long as it is effectively contained.

Denmark, a 5.8-million-strong country, has been relatively spared from the ravages of Covid-19 with 733 deaths reported.

But it imposed new national restrictions in October to curb a rapid spike in cases.