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. 2021 Feb;26(5):2100009.
doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.5.210009.

Preliminary report of an outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 in mink and mink farmers associated with community spread, Denmark, June to November 2020

Helle Daugaard Larsen  1 , Jannik Fonager  1 , Frederikke Kristensen Lomholt  1 , Tine Dalby  1 , Guido Benedetti  1 , Brian Kristensen  1 , Tinna Ravnholt Urth  1 , Morten Rasmussen  1 , Ria Lassaunière  1 , Thomas Bruun Rasmussen  1 , Bertel Strandbygaard  1 , Louise Lohse  1 , Manon Chaine  1 , Karina Lauenborg Møller  1 , Ann-Sofie Nicole Berthelsen  1 , Sarah Kristine Nørgaard  1 , Ute Wolff Sönksen  1 , Anette Ella Boklund  2 , Anne Sofie Hammer  2 , Graham J Belsham  2 , Tyra Grove Krause  1 , Sten Mortensen  3 , Anette Bøtner  1   2 , Anders Fomsgaard  1 , Kåre Mølbak  1   2
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Preliminary report of an outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 in mink and mink farmers associated with community spread, Denmark, June to November 2020

Helle Daugaard Larsen et al. Euro Surveill. 2021 Feb.

Abstract

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.

Keywords: COVID-19; Neovison vison; SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus; mink.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Proportion by municipality of (A) farms with SARS-CoV-2-positive mink among mink farms and (B) COVID-19 cases among people identified as connected to mink farmsa, Denmark, 10 August–29 November 2020b
Figure 2
Figure 2
Cumulative numbers of (A) cases of COVID-19 among people identified as connected to mink farmsa and (B) farms with SARS-CoV-2-positive mink, by geographical region, Denmark, June–November 2020
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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