1. How did these infections come about?
The infections that now come out are from the period before the animals were known to be infected. This is evident from a letter to parliament today. “That is why no preventive measures had yet been taken,” says Wim Verhagen, director of the Dutch Federation of Noble Animal Farmers.
The infections are the same as from person to person. “If you get within five feet, you run the risk of getting infected. But you can’t take care of animals if you don’t get close.”
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Netherlands and mink
In our country there are about 160 mink farms. An average farm has about 5000 dams. They are mainly kept for their fur. It is used to make fur. The mink fats are used as raw materials for medicines and beauty products.
The products are mainly used for export. Russia, USA, Canada and China buy a lot from us. But several EU countries also buy products from our mink.
After China and Denmark, the Netherlands produces the most pelts in the world. Fur farming is prohibited from 2024.
Source: NFE.nl
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2. How do we know that mink contamination was on humans?
The virus has a so-called genetic code. In the case of an infection of mink on humans, this is slightly different from the genetic code for other infections. An investigation was conducted near the farm to determine whether more people were infected with this virus, but this was not the case.
This was described in the letter to parliament this morning. “No viruses have been found in that environment with a genetic coding that matches that of the infected mink farm.” And that supports the conclusion that there is very likely a mink infection on humans here.
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3. What is happening now?
All mink companies are now monitored and in the meantime there is a visitor ban. Verhagen: “That monitoring was started last week, but is now being scaled up. I can well imagine that if you do not have a picture of all companies, you will not let people come to the company.”
The risks of contamination turn out to be easy if the correct precautions are taken. So employees can simply continue working. The risk is also minimal for the environment.
Verhagen does not know whether the animals will also be culled. “It is up to the government to determine, but what I read is that a mink farm is not dangerous for the environment. No virus is found, more than half a meter away from the animals. Only close to the animals you have to be careful.”
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