During a check in China, authorities found the presence of SARS-CoV-2 on frozen chicken wings.
Men no longer travel, but goods continue to circulate throughout the world. Covid-19 too. In Shenzhen (China), traces of the virus were found on frozen chicken wings imported from Brazil. People who had been in contact with the meat were screened but none tested positive for Covid-19.
Traces of viruses on shrimp
On Thursday August 11, the town hall of the city of Wuhu, in the Chinese province of Anhui, said it had found traces of the virus on packaging of Ecuadorian shrimp, stored in the freezer of a restaurant. At the beginning of July, the virus had been found on the same type of product. However, the shrimp and the inside of the packages were not contaminated.
A few weeks earlier, an epidemic center appeared in the south of Beijing: several hundred people tested positive for the new coronavirus. The authorities then discovered traces of the virus on cutting boards, used to prepare imported salmon. The market has been closed.
Imports interrupted
The Chinese authorities have banned imports from certain companies located in countries deemed to be at risk: the German slaughterhouses Tönnies, where an outbreak was discovered in June and the American poultry producer Tyson Foods, also affected by contamination in its establishments. In the case of Brazilian chicken, these discoveries should not help the industry of the South American country. In 2017, Brazil was the largest supplier of frozen chicken in China, its market share has only declined since.
Can contaminated meat transmit the virus to us?
A person can easily deposit the virus on a food product: by coughing, sneezing or touching the product after touching their face. The reverse is more complicated. If studies are to confirm this, scientists consider it unlikely that contamination can take place via the digestive system. As the site explains Vidal“the gastrointestinal symptoms existing in patients would be linked, in the first place, to a systemic diffusion of the virus leading to an attack of the digestive system, rather than to a direct entry by the digestive tract”. To avoid any risk, foods eaten raw must be washed and those that cannot be washed must be left to rest for at least a day. It is also essential to wash your hands after shopping, after putting them away, before cooking and before eating.
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