Samples of frozen chicken wings imported into the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen from Brazil tested positive for COVID-19, according to authorities on Thursday.
The virus was detected on Wednesday when a sample was taken from the chicken wings during a screening of frozen food imported in the Longgang district of Shenzhen.
Shenzhen health authorities immediately detected and tested those who may have come in contact with the product, and luckily all results were negative. Not just that, all related products in stock have been closed and were also tested negative.
It is believed that authorities are now tracking related products from the same brand that have been sold, and have disinfected areas where contaminated chicken wings are stored. Unfortunately, officials did not name the brand.
According to CNN, The Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA) said in a statement that it was analyzing the incident and reiterated that “there is no scientific evidence that meat spreads the virus.”
“It is not yet clear when the packaging was contaminated, and whether it occurred during the export transportation process,” said ABPA.
The discovery came a day after COVID-19 was found on a package of frozen shrimp imported from Ecuador at a restaurant in eastern Anhui province.
This incident has raised concerns about the safety of imported food. Chinese health authorities have repeatedly told the public to be careful when buying imported meat and seafood.
However yesterday, The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Thursday urged people not to fear catching the novel coronavirus from food.
“People are already scared enough and fearful enough in the COVID pandemic,” WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan told a virtual press conference in Geneva.
“People should not fear food or food packaging or the processing or delivery of food.
“There is no evidence that food or the food chain is participating in the transmission of this virus.
“Our food, from a Covid perspective, is safe.”
Source: CNN