Chief Sanitary Doctor of Ukraine Viktor Lyashko claimed that the anti-gene mutation of Covid-19 in mink could have consequences for the immune system, re-infections, and effectiveness of vaccines from coronavirus. He wrote this on his Facebook page.
Currently, the Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, Sweden, Italy, and the U.S. reported cases of the disease spotted among the populations of mink.
"The available data confirm that the clinical background, severity, and passage of infection among those infected with the sort of SARS-CoV-2, which is related to mink, are identical to the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 that circulates among the human population. However, the kind that is related to mink, also known as the kind of cluster 5 has a combination of mutations or changes that were never detected before. However, the kind that is related no the mink, also known as the "kind of cluster 5", has a combination of mutations of changes never seen before. The chance of anti-gene mutation of SARS-CoV-2 has not been proved yet, but in the worse case, anti-gene mutation can have consequences for the immune system, reinfections, and efficiency of vaccines against Covid-19. As for the vaccine, a lot of candidates use the spike protein of coronavirus as the target", Lyashko explained.
The official added that he already discussed the situation with the Danish Ambassador in Ukraine, Ole Egberg Mikkelsen.
"The Ambassador claimed that their government has been taking steps to limit further spread of this kind of virus among the population of mink and people, in particular", he wrote.