More virus traces found on frozen shrimp and chicken wings
Chinese health authorities have found traces of coronavirus in imported chicken wings and food packaging, local officials revealed on Thursday.
The Shenzhen Epidemic Prevention and Control Headquarters said the public needed to take precautions around frozen food after the discovery.
The warning was issued after a sample taken from frozen chicken wings which were originally from Brazil, were found to be contaminated with coronavirus.
In addition, samples taken from frozen shrimp from Ecuador sold in Xian also tested positive for the virus.
Due to the findings, China has enforced screening at ports and contact tracing.
Fear has been sparked as it is now believed the virus could survive on frozen food due to it being a cold temperature.
“It is hard to say at which stage the frozen chicken got infected,” said a China-based official at a Brazilian meat exporter.
The role of frozen food carrying the virus may have been the reasoning behind New Zealand’s mystery outbreak, many have speculated.