New rules for B.C. mink farms effective immediately after several more test positive for COVID-causing virus
As many as seven more mink are thought to have contracted the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans, prompting new rules from the B.C. government.
Two of the animals at a B.C. farm, which has been under quarantine for months, have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Another five have initially tested positive, though final results are pending.
The farm, which has not been publicly identified by the province, has been under quarantine since May, when other mink tested positive for the virus.
According to the provincial Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, the two known to have SARS-CoV-2 were among four found at the farm after escaping their cages.
Infections have been confirmed at three B.C. mink farms since December, and all three remain under quarantine. This means no mink can be moved into or from the farms.
Additionally, the province announced further restrictions Monday that will impact all nine mink farms located in B.C.
The provincial health officer has placed a moratorium on any new mink farms in B.C. for the time being, and all existing mink farms – all of which are located in the Fraser Valley – are now under another rule.
The farm operators must report the total number of mink they have, both breeding and non-breeding, then adhere to a cap at their current number.
According to the ministry, the province is currently reviewing its policies regarding fur farms, "while ensuring the recommended mitigation measures are in place and enforced to protect both public and animal health."
Measures are in place in the Fraser Health Authority to protect workers and their families, and to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2 through human-animal contact.
B.C.'s mink farms employ about 150 workers, the province said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Three dead, two hospitalized, following collision in Fredericton: police
Three people have died and two have been hospitalized after a speeding car struck a tree and landed on another vehicle in Fredericton Sunday morning.
Amid climate change warnings, Canadians lukewarm on electric vehicles
Amid scientists' warnings that nations need to transition away from fossil fuels to limit climate change, Canadians are still lukewarm on electric vehicles, according to a study conducted by Nanos Research for CTV News.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.
1 person killed and 23 injured in a bus crash in northern Maryland, police say
One person was killed and 23 others were injured when a bus crashed early Sunday on Interstate 95 in northern Maryland, police said.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
‘Love has no boundaries’: Sask. couple in their 90s and 80s get married
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.
Video shows gaggle of geese stopping traffic on Highway 1 near Vancouver
A mother goose and her goslings caused a bit of a traffic jam on a busy stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway near Vancouver Saturday.
Chemical spill could be cause of stinky water in Puslinch, Ont., new report says
People living in Puslinch, Ont. may have the answer to why their water smelled so bad last year.