The “mink coronavirus” could return in the future, warns an expert

The Neverending Story ? A new strain of coronavirus could potentially be transmitted to other animal species and thus risk contaminating the human population within a few years.

This is the warning, issued by the director of the British medical foundation Wellcome Trust Jeremy Farrar, and released by the BBC. According to him, retransmission to humans could lead to contamination of rats, spaniels or ferrets.

The leader reacted as many specialists are alarmed and try to warn about the risk of transmitting a dangerous strain of the mink virus to the human population.

Over 200 mink infections in Denmark

A hypothesis confirmed by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control which also stated that transmission from mink to humans was possible. The continued spread of the coronavirus (Sars-CoV-2) in mink farms could in fact give rise to other mutated, or variant, “worrying” strains.

The Danish authorities also announced, in early November, the infection of several hundred people with mutant strains of the mink coronavirus.

A potential risk to the effectiveness of vaccines and treatments

Although most of the new strains in question are considered no more dangerous than the current virus, scientists at the Statens Serum Institut, which manages the outbreaks in Denmark, have indicated that one of these variants is of greater concern for the future. “If it spreads to Denmark or abroad, it could potentially have serious consequences on the protective effect of future vaccines,” the institute’s epidemiologists warned last week.

So that a more thorough evaluation appears necessary to determine to try to assess and prevent this serious health risk, according to a new report.

The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) has called on countries to monitor sensitive animals, such as mink and raccoon dogs, as well as humans in close contact with them, for concerns about risks. public health potential. “The risk of sensitive animals, such as mink, becoming a reservoir for Sars-CoV-2 is causing concern around the world, as it could pose an ongoing threat to public health and lead to future contagion effects on the friend,” the Paris-based organization said in a statement.