All animals in fur farms with bird flu in Finland to be culled

By Busra Nur Cakmak

Finland’s food authority ordered all animals in fur farms with bird flu infections to be culled.

Fur farms with confirmed infections are ordered to cull all foxes and common raccoon dogs because of public health concerns arising from infections, the Finnish Food Authority said Wednesday.

“The longer viruses can circulate in mammals, the greater the risk of mutations that can cause infections in humans as well,” it said.

“Concerning mutations that make it easier for the virus to transmit to mammals have so far been detected in the viral genome isolated from animals at six farms. The mutations have been detected in minks, foxes and raccoon dogs,” it added.

Authorities ordered the killing of approximately 135,000 animals, including 50,000 mink, 79,000 foxes and 6,000 raccoons, on farms where the bird flu was detected.

Bird flu has been detected in 26 fur farms in the Ostrobothnia region in western Finland. In 11 of the farms, all animals were ordered to be put to sleep, and in five, partial culling orders were ordered.

*Murat Temizer in Warsaw contributed to this report.