The Finnish food authority says it has ordered 50,000 farmed mink and foxes to be culled at three different fur farms hit by bird flu infections. This is since mink can host the virus and thereby increase the risk of it mutating and affecting humans.
“Mink is an especially problematic species when it comes to avian influenza infections, as it can be an effective intermediate host for bird flu. This enables the virus to mutate more effectively into a form that will infect humans,” the authority said.
Finland and Norway are facing record outbreaks of the H5N1 virus strain this year. The virus has already killed thousands of seagulls and other bird species.
This year, avian influenza (commonly called bird flu) has been found at 20 fur farms in Finland. Samples from another four farms are currently being analyzed, according to the food authority.
The Finnish food authority said it’s preparing further cull orders this week.
Source: Perth now
