Fur flies as new virus strain found in minks
COPENHAGEN: In a terrifying new development in the pandemic crisis, Denmark is racing to contain a new and mutated version of the coronavirus that has spread from minks to humans – potentially rendering all the vaccines in development around the world useless.
The shocking revelation comes as the World Health Organisation has warned of an “explosion” in COVID-19 infections in Europe.
England is back in full lock down and Romania is the latest country to impose tough new restrictions to counter the second wave washing over the continent.
But as much of the world has been forced to become accustomed to the concept of
lockdowns as we wait, hope and pray for a vaccine, the news from Denmark has sparked a new global fear.
While no more severee than the normal virus, the mutated version found in mink farms“could pose a risk that future vaccines won’t work,” Prime Minister Mette e Fred erik sensai don Friday.
In a bid to stop this new strain from spreading, Ms Frederiksen announced a “real closure” of the north Jutland region, where the new mutated mink version of the corona virus has been detected in 11 people.
More than 280,000 people in seven areas of north Jutland were told to stay home, while bars and restaurants were closed, public transport shut down and people ordered not to travel there.
“We are asking you in north Jutland to do something extraordinary – the eyes of the world are on us,” Ms Fred erik sens aid.
Health authorities in north Jutland believe about 5 per cent of coronavirus patients
could co be carrying the mutated strain although no recent case ca has been reported.
Denmark, the world’s largest la exporter of mink fur, had earlier said it would cull all a of its minks, estimated to beas many as 17 million.
WHO’s regional director for Europe Hans Kluge said there t had been a COVID-19 “explosion” on the continent as its 11.6 million infections surge past Latin America and the Ca rib bean’ s 11.4 million.
“We do see an explosion,” he said .“It only takes a couple of days to have, in the European region, an increase of one million cases.”
But he said closing schools should be seen as a last resort “because we cannot afford a COVID-19 lost generation”.
The UN will hold a special session in New York next month to discuss improving international co-ordination in response to the pandemic.
In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called for a united effort to tackle spiking infection rates, as 56 million people in England went into a second lockdown.
The Bank of England unveiled an extra £150bn ($270bn) in economic support, on top of new Treasury measures to subsidise the wages of furloughed English workers until March.
Romania, meanwhile, imposed a night-time curfew and online classes for schoolchildren, and made face masks obligatory as the country nears 10,000 new daily cases.