The corona virus was found on Thursday at two mink farms in De Mortel (municipality of Gemert-Bakel) and Deurne among animals of these companies. Last month, the causative agent of COVID-19 was already detected on mink farms in Milheeze and Beek en Donk. Dozens of minks there fell ill or died of the virus.
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An investigation was launched immediately after those initial discoveries. This shows that no virus was found in the air samples outside the house. However, the pathogen in the immediate vicinity of mink has been found on dust particles inside the house. It is still unknown whether people can become infected with COVID-19 through these dust particles. For the time being, it seems that the animals have infected each other and that the virus has been around for weeks. The Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality announced this on Friday evening as a result of an investigation.
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Large area cordoned off
After the initial contamination, an area of four hundred meters around the two companies in Milheeze and Beek en Donk was cordoned off to prevent any further spread. The same measures will apply in the vicinity of the affected mink farms in De Mortel and Deurne. The company in De Mortel is also owned by the mink farmer from Milheeze.
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The research reported by the ministry is a project of Utrecht University, Erasmus MC, the Animal Health Service and Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBR)
. Employees of these institutes regularly visited the two companies. Samples of sick and healthy minks and manure from the population have also been examined. Air and dust samples were also taken in the area. The study will continue for the entire month and will also involve other, as yet uncontaminated, mink farms.
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Troubled reactions
News of the initial infection sparked many troubled reactions. For example, a link was made with infections that have broken out on other farms where animals are kept. Reference was made to Q fever and swine fever. According to one of the parties to the study, the WBR, there is no reason for this.
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Local politics also stirred. Jan Hoevenaars, former general practitioner and group chairman of Social Gemert-Bakel, among others, is very concerned. In particular also about people who live or move in the area.
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Mayor Frank van der Meijden of the municipality of Laarbeek says that the affected family in Beek en Donk ‘has recovered from the first shock and that she is making amends according to circumstances.’ He visited not only the family but also local residents to relieve them, if necessary. The municipality of Gemert-Bakel reports that the mink farmer in Milheeze was also ‘obviously shocked’, but that he ‘continues to care for his animals in terms of business operations.’
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The ribbons in a radius of four hundred meters around the two companies in Milheeze and Beek en Donk will remain there for the time being. They will only be removed if necessary after consultation with the relevant ministries of Agriculture and Health.
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Another blow for the sector
The new infections are another blow for the mink industry itself. The industry has been under fire for years, because according to a number of action groups, minks are housed irresponsibly. Business leaders in this sector also know that they will have to close all doors by 2024 without, in their opinion, receiving acceptable compensation.
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Finally, the industry has been facing declining revenues for months due to declining exports to China, due to the outbreak of the … corona virus.
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Should we be concerned now that minks are also infected with corona? [UITLEGVIDEO]
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Politics in Gemert will talk on Thursday about tackling the coronavirus outbreak on mink farming
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