Minks are small mammals, native to the Northern Hemisphere. They belong to the weasel family. Both the European minks and the American minks are valued for their luxurious fur.
Why is coronavirus in minks a concern?
Scientists say minks may be more susceptible to the coronavirus than other animals due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. In mink farms, where thousands of animals are kept in close proximity, COVID-19 can spread rapidly from animal to animal.
Unlike dogs, cats and some other animals, which show only mild symptoms, minks can get very sick and even die from the infection. So far, minks are the only animals known to both catch the virus from people and transmit it to them.
Which are the other places where minks have contracted COVID-19?
Coronavirus cases have also been detected in farmed minks in four other European countries: the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Italy. Millions of animals have been culled in these places too. In the U.S., more than 15,000 minks have died of the coronavirus since August, and authorities are keeping about a dozen farms under quarantine while they investigate the cases.
Picture Credit : Google