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Denmark will cull its entire mink population after a mutation of the coronavirus found in the animals spread to humans, the prime minister announced.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Wednesday health authorities discovered virus strains in humans and in mink which showed reduced sensitivity against antibodies, possibly lowering the efficacy of future vaccines.

"We have a great responsibility towards our own population, but with the mutation that has now been found, we have an even greater responsibility for the rest of the world as well," she told a press conference.

Frederiksen added the mutated virus in mink may pose a risk to the effectiveness of a future vaccine which "risks being spread from Denmark to other countries."

The studies were based on laboratory tests by the State Serum Institute, the Danish authority dealing with infectious diseases.

The conclusions have shared with the World Health Organization and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

The police, army and home guard will be deployed in order to hasten the culling process.

Additionally, tighter lockdown restrictions and intensified tracing efforts will be enforced to contain the virus in some areas of northern Denmark, home to a large number of mink farms.

Denmark, the world's largest producer of mink furs, has between 15 million and 17 million mink, according to authorities.

Minks have also been culled in the Netherlands and Spain after infections were discovered.

(With input from Reuters)