Preliminary report of an outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 in mink and mink farmers associated with community spread, Denmark, June to November 2020
In: Larsen , H D , Fonager , J , Lomholt , F K , Dalby , T , Benedetti , G , Kristensen , B , Urth , T R , Rasmussen , M , Lassaunière , R , Rasmussen , T B , Strandbygaard , B , Lohse , L , Chaine , M , Møller , K L , Berthelsen , A S N , Nørgaard , S K , Sönksen , U W , Boklund , A E , Hammer , A S , Belsham , G J , Krause , T G , Mortensen , S , Bøtner , A , Fomsgaard , A & Mølbak , K 2021 , ' Preliminary report of an outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 in mink and mink farmers associated with community spread, Denmark, June to November 2020 ' , Eurosurveillance , vol. 26 , no. 5 . https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.5.210009
In June-November 2020, SARS-CoV-2-infected mink were detected in 290 of 1,147 Danish mink farms. In North Denmark Region, 30% (324/1,092) of people found connected to mink farms tested SARS-CoV- 2-PCR-positive and approximately 27% (95% confidence interval (CI): 25-30) of SARS-CoV-2-strains from humans in the community were mink-associated. Measures proved insufficient to mitigate spread. On 4 November, the government ordered culling of all Danish mink. Farmed mink constitute a potential virus reservoir challenging pandemic control.