Spain to kill 90,000 Minks to avoid human to human transmission of COVID-19

Health authorities in Spain have said that almost 100,000 minks at a firm in the northeastern part of the country are to be culled after many of them tested positive for the novel coronavirus. As per a report in BBC, the outbreak was discovered in the province of Aragon after a farm employee's wife contracted the virus in May. The report added that her husband and six other farm workers have tested positive for the disease as well.

As per the report, results of tests done on 13 July showed that 87 percent of the mink were infected with the virus leading to health authorities ordering the culling of all the 92,700 semi-aquatic animals. Joaquin Olona, Aragon's minister of agriculture, told reporters on Thursday that the decision to cull the mink was taken "to avoid the risk of human transmission". Olona also said that it is unclear at this point whether coronavirus can be transferred from humans to animals or vice versa. According to BBC, authorities will give financial compensation to the company on whose farm the outbreak took place. The farm is located around 200 km east of Madrid, one of the most populous cities in Spain.