Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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206. To ask the Minister for Health if he has been apprised of a mink cull in Denmark linked to a mutated strain of Covid-19 that has apparently been shown to be transmissible to humans; the actions he will take in respect of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35539/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Officials from the Department of Health, the HPSC, the National Virus Reference Laboratory (NVRL) and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine have met to discuss transmission of SARS-CoV-2 virus in mink in Denmark and identification of the transmission of the virus occurring from humans to mink and vice-versa.

The HPSC and the NVRL have confirmed that this particular mutation of the virus has not, to date, been identified in Ireland. There are 3 active mink farms currently in operation in Ireland and no mink have been imported in to Ireland in 2020 to date.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will test for the SARS-CoV-2 virus in each of the three farms to see if the virus is present in Irish mink farms and will continue its surveillance for the virus in mink on Irish mink farms. The HSE will also conduct serial testing of the mink farm workers and their household contacts.

Passengers arriving into Ireland from Denmark have been asked to self-isolate for 14 days after their arrival, including those travelling for an essential purpose as defined by Council Recommendation 2020/1475.