Coronavirus Pandemic Spreads To Mink Farms – Cluster 5 Mutation – Sparks Mass Mink Cull

The Danish Government will cull nearly 17 million mink in the northern province of Jutland. Over fears of a mutated coronavirus threatening not only the citizens of Denmark but the rest of the world… 

The Coronavirus Pandemic Spreads To Mink Farms Across The World. Denmark is hit the hardest. As the virus spread through millions of mink, a novel mutation popped up: the - Cluster 5 Mutation.

Danish health authorities have documented that 33% of their human Coronavirus infections are Mink Coronavirus related; and an alarming 50% of deaths are of Mink Coronavirus origin.

The Danish Government will cull nearly 17 million mink in the northern province of Jutland
Over fears of a mutated coronavirus threatening not only the citizens of Denmark but the rest of the world…

FACTS

• The danes have documented that half the human deaths are mink-coronavirus related.
• ⅓ of the total cases are mink-coronavirus-related.
• Mink are very susceptible to Coronavirus (SARS Covid-2)
• The entire mink industry worldwide including the (US) Is besieged with sick mink from said Coronavirus
• It is now well-documented that the mink contracted it from their owners, handers, keepers
• Mink CAN infect people 
  • Well documented in the Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, and yes US - mink Farms
  • People are “re-infected”. That is, the poor mink contracted the virus from people (mink farm workers). Then the sick mink are able to Transmit it to People .

SARS COVID2 COVID19 IS NOW A ZOONOSES  MINK X MAN

People give it to mink. It can replicate IN MINK.   Lots of mink are getting sick.  Then  sick mink can give it back to people that's a zoonosis 

The initial  consensus opinion of scientists worldwide Is one of great interest and curiosity but not panic or over reaction.

• Most, if not all,  support the Danes' decision to CULL The Mink heard as wise and prudent under the circumstances.
•  But, all want more information and documentation as to why the government has stated that the newly mutated virus can evade vaccines in production.

To put things in perspective:

• The word mutation is a scary thing to most people - primarily because of Hollywood the entertainment industry and zillions of novels THEMED at the virus / bacteria / blob  that mutated and devoured the Earth -- right
• Fact is that ::: Mutations in viruses happen all the time 
• a plethora of mutations are already documented in our existing Coronavirus pandemic.  and no one, at least in the scientific Community, is the least bit surprised or concerned - so far
• NO ONE is--- pushing Panic buttons
•  this new mutation is now being called The “Cluster 5”  mutation
•  apparently because of its virus anatomical location. It appears to be in a slightly different area than the existing known mutations.
•  The consensus of scientists worldwide, at least at this point, is that of skepticism: that a mutation might frustrate developing vaccines.
•  because that has not been the case of viral mutations in the past.
• THAT IS  ALL Good news

OUTCOMES

There are   multiple  scenarios some good some not

For example:

•  serial passage in mink can make it more virulent 
• and this new strain can evade newly developing vaccinations
• ---  HOWEVER
• Serial passage could make it less virulent
•  will it become more virulent to the mink,  and less dangerous to people? 
• Vaccination, discoveries in treatment, and/or prevention  will make the infection easily manageable
• The virus really likes the mink it could change and adapt to being there.
• In that case it could become less virulent to people

ALL of that is speculation...

What’s the big deal of species jumps anyway?

Scientist call these species jumps spillover

Species jumps always make scientists nervous. 

• after all, is how we ended up with the Covid-19 pandemic. (Bats-Pangilin-Man) 

Let’s try to keep this in perspective:

Viruses generally are host specific --that is they prefer one type of animal in which to replicate THEY ARE  happy in that one individual species.

Example herpes virus.. ALL MAMMALIAN  species that I'm aware of have species specific herpes virus. 

 The cold sore you get on your mouth you can't give to your dog or cat or ferret or horse….  feline herpes cannot be transmitted back to you . Neither can canine herpes infection infect horses or people - pretty simple.

The 2009 H1N1 pandemic was triggered when a flu virus that had been circulating in pigs started infecting people.

The Ebola outbreaks were viral spillovers 

To me: The mink situation is different

• It’s not a virus unknown to humans that has jumped from an animal species. 
• In this case, a 
• virus that has already adapted to spreading among people
•  jumped to minks and is now occasionally jumping back.

The ORIGINAL SARS -CoVid-2 INFECTION WAS A SPILLOVER

FERRETS

What about ferrets?

Why am I so agitated about ferrets?

 Ferrets are cousins of mink.

 They are more like twin brothers or sisters when it comes to Coronavirus 

All members of the Weasel  (family, Mustelidae) are highly susceptible to Sars Cov2 - the virus responsible for a pandemic that has taken More than 10 million lives worldwide.

Mink. otters, AND FERRETS  

Everything we've said about Mink is true of ferrets.

• Ferrets can get Coronavirus from people
• Corona virus replicates easily in ferrets
•  ferrets give ferrets coronavirus EASILY TO themselves 
• And ferrets can give Coronavirus to people

 More importantly !!!!!

 There are an estimated 800,000 ferrets in the United States.. - ALL PETs

Unless you're one of the privileged ferret  owners (like we were) you might say so what.

So Let's put two into the other!

IF  ferrets and weasels and otters and mink are all of the same family, the family Mustelidae. 

If a mink can easily get coronavirus from his  Farm worker,  

so can your ferret get coronavirus from you!!!  

That is not a guess or a scientific calculation for estimation.

IT’S A FACT!!

•  I've been saying since the early weeks of the pandemic that ferrets are at a severe risk for getting coronavirus from sick family members. 
• - why?
• Because of ACE-2 receptors
• IT is now 100% documented. not only can they 
  • contract the infection from a family member
  •  they could also transmit it BACK  to another family member.

In Conclusion:

Can mink and ferrets get human Coronavirus -- YES

Can MINK  really infect people after being infected themselves by their keepers? --- YES

Has the virus really mutated?   --- YES

Is it now more virulent to people? ---- To Be Determined...

• Governments and health authorities are acting to protect.
• They have chosen to act aggressively and if necessary err on the side of caution.

Will that mutation thwart  the efforts of scientists? --- NO

Will the vaccinations currently in production be effective?  ---- To Be Determined...

• Not enough information to actually say.

What about our pet ferrets? 

Well….. they're great companions. We had a family ferret companion named ”Coto” - He was a great companion.

In our next segment we will just  discover ways to keep us and our ferret companions - healthy. Prevent Coronavirus. And what to do if someone gets sick in your household.