Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Denmark Plans To Cull 17 Million Mink Over COVID Mutation Fears
Bloomberg: Denmark Finds Covid Strain That Might Hamper Vaccine Effort
Denmark says it’s found a new strain of Covid-19 that might hamper efforts to develop a vaccine, after an outbreak in the country’s mink population triggered a mutation of the virus. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told reporters that, because of developments in Denmark, there is now “a risk that the effect of a future vaccine will be weakened or, in a worst case scenario, be undermined,” during a virtual press briefing on Wednesday. (Buttler, 11/4)
The New York Times: Denmark Will Kill All Farmed Mink, Citing Covid Infections
The Danish government will slaughter millions of mink at more than 1,000 farms, citing concerns that a mutation in the novel coronavirus that has infected the mink could possibly interfere with the effectiveness of a vaccine for humans. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen made the announcement at a news conference on Wednesday. There are 15 million or more mink in Denmark, which is one of the world’s major exporters of mink furs. She said the armed forces would be involved in the culling of mink. (Gorman, 11/4)
In other global developments —
The Washington Post: Australia Almost Eliminated The Coronavirus By Putting Faith In Science
The Sydney Opera House has reopened. Almost 40,000 spectators attended the city's rugby league grand final. Workers are being urged to return to their offices. Welcome to Australia, a pandemic success story. The nation of 26 million is close to eliminating community transmission of the coronavirus, having defeated a second wave just as infections surge again in Europe and the United States. (Patrick, 11/5)
Reuters: South Korea Tells People Who Attended Samsung Memorial To Get Tested After Coronavirus Case Emerges
South Korea said on Thursday it had alerted about 1,000 people who attended the memorial of the late Samsung Group patriarch Lee Kun-hee last week to get tested for the coronavirus after one person at the event tested positive. A local journalist who had covered the memorial developed symptoms two days later and tested positive on Monday, health authorities said. At least six new coronavirus cases, including two colleagues and two family members had been linked to the journalist, the authorities said. (Cha, 11/5)
