Denmark says mutated coronavirus from mink farms most likely extinct
丹麦称水貂养殖场变异冠状病毒很可能灭绝
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - A new, mutated strain of the novel coronavirus stemming from mink farms in Denmark is "most likely" extinct, the health ministry said on Thursday, amid fears the new strain could compromise COVID-19 vaccines.
哥本哈根(路透社)--丹麦卫生部周四表示，一种源于丹麦水貂养殖场的新型冠状病毒变异株“最有可能”灭绝，人们担心这种新株可能会危及新冠肺炎的疫苗。
"No further cases of mink variant with cluster 5 have been detected since Sept. 15, which is why the State Serum Institute assesses that this variant has most likely become extinct," the ministry said in a statement.
卫生部在一份声明中说：“自9月15日以来，没有发现更多带有第5簇的水貂变异病例，这就是为什么国家血清研究所评估这种变异极有可能已经灭绝的原因。”
Two weeks ago, Denmark ordered all farmed mink in the country culled to curb widespread outbreaks of COVID-19 on farms, a situation exacerbated by the discovery of a mutated variant, which authorities said showed reduced sensitivity to antibodies.
两周前，丹麦下令扑杀该国所有养殖的水貂，以遏制养殖场广泛爆发的新冠肺炎病毒。当局表示，发现一种突变变体，表明其对抗体的敏感性降低，加剧了这种情况。
On Wednesday, the Nordic country's Food and Agriculture Minister resigned following the admission by the government it did not have the proper legal basis behind the cull order, making it a potential constitutional breach.
周三，这个北欧国家的粮食和农业部长辞职，此前政府承认，捕杀令背后没有适当的法律依据，这可能会违反宪法。
Opposition parties in Denmark are calling for Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to step down too, saying she was ultimately responsible.
丹麦反对党要求首相梅特·弗雷德里克森(Mette Frederksen)也下台，称她应对此负最终责任。
Frederiksen has apologised publicly, but maintains the decision to cull all mink was sound and based on an assessment by health authorities.
弗雷德里克森已经公开道歉，但坚称扑杀所有水貂的决定是合理的，并基于卫生当局的评估。
Based on improved infection numbers in the northern part of Denmark, home to most of the country's mink farms, the Health Ministry on Thursday also announced it would ease restrictions imposed two weeks ago to curb the spread of the virus.
丹麦北部是该国大部分水貂养殖场的所在地，基于感染人数的改善，卫生部周四还宣布，将放松两周前实施的限制措施，以遏制病毒的传播。
Mink have shown a particular susceptibility to infection from the coronavirus, a problem inflamed by the fact that mink are bred in large numbers and in close living conditions, according to the World Health Organization.
根据世界卫生组织(World Health Organization)的说法，水貂表现出对冠状病毒感染的特别敏感性，这个问题因为水貂被大量饲养和在封闭的生活条件下饲养而加剧。
