Denmark’s agriculture minister Mogens Jensen resigned on Wednesday (Nov 18) after conceding the lack of a legal basis for a questionable order earlier in the month to kill the country’s entire population of more than 15 million farmed minks to contain a coronavirus mutation.

Denmark, which has seen more than 55,000 cases of COVID-19 so far, has also recorded over 200 human cases infected with SARS-CoV-2 variants that are associated with farmed minks. These include 12 cases with a unique variant, which were first reported on November 5.

After the Danish Public Health Authority (Statens Serum Institut) discovered the mutated version of coronavirus in mink, the government decided to cull all of the country’s over 17-million population of the animal which are bred for their fur. The soft, warm pelts of the mammals are sold as high-end cold-weather attire.

After an estimated 2.85 million minks were culled, the prime minister halted the order, conceding the government did not have the authority to carry out the mass killing of the animals.

Danish mink farmers have opposed saying that the move would end their business for good.

Denmark's opposition has urged the prime minister Mette Frederiksen to step down.

"I want the Prime Minister to do the same," opposition leader Jakob Elleman-Jensen of The Liberal Party said, referring to the resignation of the agriculture minister earlier on Wednesday.

"I want the prime minister to acknowledge that when she makes a mistake, it’s her responsibility," Elleman-Jensen said.