2/22/2022:  In April 2020, GD discovered a natural SARS-CoV-2 infection in minks for the first time worldwide. During the subsequent period, we were not only intensively involved in monitoring this virus among minks, but also in the related studies, conducted in close collaboration with Utrecht University, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), Erasmus MC and WBVR:

• SARS-CoV-2 infection in farmed minks, the Netherlands, April and May 2020
• Clinical and Pathological Findings in SARS-CoV-2 Disease Outbreaks in Farmed Mink (Neovison vison)

The studies showed that the virus had been transferred from people to minks, but also that the virus from infected minks was transferred back to people. However, the virus strains discovered at the mink farms were virtually unheard of outside the mink sector. This means that there was no great distribution from the mink sector to the rest of the population. No airborne virus was discovered in the direct vicinity of the mink farms, even though there was a strong virus concentration close to the cages of the infected animals. The conclusion was that there was no increased risk of infection for local residents and passers-by, though employees at the infected farms were at risk and therefore needed to take the appropriate safety measures.

Relates studies

• Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 on mink farms between humans and mink and back to humans
• Occupational and environmental exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in and around infected mink farms
• SARS-CoV-2 infection in cats and dogs in infected mink farms

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