Preprint: Infection of mink with SARS-COV-2 Omicron Variant

Animals, Coronavirus, Denmark, Health, Infection, Mink, Omicron, Transmission

Mink infected with Omicron were consistently PCR-positive from day 3 onwards, indicating mink-to-mink transmission. Infectious virus was detected in cell culture even before it was detected by PCR.

This study shows that mink can be infected by Omicron and, crucially, efficiently transmit the virus to other mink. Despite the reports of lower virulence of Omicron, mink experience clinical disease and nasal and pulmonary microscopic lesions that closely resemble infection with previously reported variants in mink and humans.

Preprint: Severe acute respiratory disease in American mink (Neovison vison) experimentally infected with SARS-CoV-2

 

See also:

Danish farmers turn their backs on mink after Covid mutation cull. Just a handful of mink breeders in Denmark express an interest in re-entering fur industry, even if the current ban is lifted in 2023.

Guardian report

 

Vurdering af risikoen for den humane sundhed ved genoptaget minkhold fra 2023-03052022 eng

 

 

 

Canada: Covid transmission between mink, between mink and humans, and humans back to mink

 

 

 

Image by Otwarte Klatki – DSC_2188, CC BY 2.0,

** This post was originally published on May 15, 2022 **