Coronavirus on another mink farm; 44th in NL

Mink on a fur farm in Gemert tested positive for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, the Ministries of Public Health and Agriculture announced. The diagnosis was made after the animals started showing symptoms. This is the 44th mink farm in the Netherlands ot be infected with the coronavirus.

The farm counted around 5 thousand mother animals. They and their litters will be culled as soon as possible.

Last week the government decided to follow the Outbreak Management Team's (OMT) advice and accelerate the ban on mink farming in the Netherlands. According to the OMT, this is the most effective way to stop coronavirus hotspots forming at mink farms. Mink farmers will now have to close their business after the fur period that starts in November, so from spring next year. Before the coronavirus crisis, the government had already decided to ban mink farming from 2024.

The government is currently working on a compensation scheme for mink farmers and reserved a total of 150 million euros for this scheme.