since April 2020, when the first SARS-CoV-2 infection in mink was reported in the Netherlands and later in a mink farm worker, it has been established that human-to-mink and mink-to-human transmission can occur. Mink infections have since been reported in Denmark, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the US.

On November 5, 2020, Denmark reported 214 human cases of COVID-19 infected with mink-related variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as well as infected mink on more than 200 farms. Most human and animal cases reported since June 2020 have been in the North Jutland region. The SARS-CoV-2 variants detected in these cases were part of at least five close clusters; each cluster was characterized by a mink-specific variant identified in humans and animals from infected mink farms. Denmark has implemented robust response measures to control mink outbreaks and decrease human-mink transmission.

One of the clusters (Cluster 5) that was reported as circulating in August and September 2020, is linked to a variant with four genetic changes, three substitutions and one deletion, in the spike (S) protein. Because the S protein contains the receptor binding domain and is a major target for the immune response, such mutations could, in theory, have implications for the ability to infect humans and animals, transmissibility and antigenicity. Consequently, the evolution of viruses with changes in the functional domains of the S protein could affect treatment, certain diagnostic tests, and antigenicity of the virus. It could also impact the effectiveness of candidate vaccines. Investigations and studies are ongoing to clarify the extent of these possible implications.

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Source: INSP