‘Zombie’ Covid mink ‘rise from the grave’ after millions culled and buried in Denmark sparking infection fears
"ZOMBIE" mink have "risen from the grave" after millions were culled and buried in Denmark over coronavirus fears.
Chilling images shows hordes of animal carcasses resurfacing in a mass burial site at the Holstebro military complex in the northwest of the country.
⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates
The Danish government announced a cull of between 15 and 17 million mink earlier this month, after scientists raised concern about a powerful new coronavirus strain spreading through the animal population.
But officials assured the public that the spooky phenomenon was the result of natural forces.
Police spokesman Thomas Kristensen told : “Gases are formed during decomposition, which causes the bodies to swell a little and, in worst cases, they get pushed out of the ground.”
He admitted there is a risk of infection from the carcasses as they may still have the virus on their fur, but they are likely to be less infectious than live mink.
The mink were also treated with disinfectant and covered with lime when buried to reduce the risk of the virus - but the area remains under guard to deter any curious locals.
Danish newspaper National Berlingske joked the situation was "dead zombie mink rising from the grave to exact revenge."
In a bid to stop the carcasses rising to the surface, officials have pledged to bury the mink deeper into the ground and lay more soil over the dead animals.
DR reports that the mammals will now be buried under 2.5 metres of soil rather than one.
It comes after researchers at the State’s Serum Institute in Copenhagen detected mutations in the spike protein of the virus in the mink strain, which they feared could make a vaccine less effective if transmitted back to humans.
Kare Molbak, director at the State Serum Institute, told Reuters: “The worst case scenario is a new pandemic, starting all over again out of Denmark.”
The strain, known as "Cluster Five", was found on 207 out of the country's 1,139 fur farms.
This led to a lockdown of 250,000 people living in the North Jutland region, where most of the farms are located.
According to the , 214 human cases of the coronavirus have been identified in Denmark related to farmed minks, with 12 of these linked to the dangerous "Cluster 5" variant.
The country was shaken as pictures emerged of mass graves of slaughtered mink strewn across the countryside - sparking the fury of farmers.
The Danish government was later forced to apologise and admit that its call to slaughter the mink had no legal basis.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said: “Even if we were in a rush, it should have been completely clear to us that new legislation was required, and it was not.
“I apologise for that.”
Denmark, the world’s largest mink fur exporter, produces an estimated 17 million furs per year.
Most read in News
Farmers said the cull, estimated to cost up to £600 million, could spell the end of the lucrative industry.
It comes as Denmark reported a daily record in coronavirus cases yesterday with 1,367 new infections, bringing the total in the country to 73,021.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
The country has recorded 797 fatalities, which is over double Norway's total of 314.
But it is significantly lower than neighbour Sweden's 6,500 fatalities.
