A new Chinese report found a few batches of frozen seafood products that were positive with Coronavirus. All the locals that bought the batches were now under quarantine, to know their status. So far, no reports of additional cases were resulted from eating the cold seafood. However, outside Chinese countries, must be alarmed after the country confirms that there were 'small quantity' from those batches that were exported.  


Could COVID-19 live in frozen seafood?

Experts found SARS-CoV-2 strains-- the virus that leads to Coronavirus-- in frozen batches of seafood products in the eastern Chinese port city of Yantai, as reported via South China Morning Post. 

Due to the recurrence of COVID-19 cases in the country, the Chinese officials made an intense monitoring of all frozen food processed products. The frozen seafood products reportedly came from one batch of a foreign vessel that entered the country via Dalian port. 

Dalian port had been in close monitoring of Chinese health experts. It was since citizens around this area were reportedly contaminated with COVID-19 due to the high degree of SARS-CoV-2 strains found in chilled products. 

It was suspected that the virus in Yantai was got from other contaminated seafood products in Dalian. Experts usually use fluorescent powder to know which product was contaminated by the virus or not. 

It turns out, the strains from Dalian infected seafood products were positively similar to the Yantai products. The frozen seafood product was not specifically identified. 

All the customers that bought them were asked to self-quarantine inside their homes. So far, no reports are saying there are positive human cases due to eating the products. 

However, here's the warning. SCMP revealed that the Chinese authorities also confirmed that there were 'small quantities' from the contaminated batches exported from China. 

So far, the United States government has not yet released any statements regarding this possible issue. But, it was concluded by the country's health expert that food packaging contamination "is thought to be very low." 

It was also supported by Professor Jin Dong-yan, a molecular virologist at the University of Hong Kong. 

"After long-distance shipping, the activity of the virus will just go down and will not go up," Jin said. "Shrimp and fish cannot support the growth of the virus. The virus cannot grow, replicate, or multiply in those foods or packages, it will just stay there and die out."

Frozen salmon products found with virus strains

In June, Tech Times already reported about the cases of possible COVID-19 contamination in seafood products, specifically salmon. 

At the time, the Chinese government decided to stop all exports of salmon to other countries, as the positive cases from those products were reported. 

However, the World Health Organization (WHO) did not support this claim. 

"I think we need to look at what has happened in this case, I don't believe it is the primary hypothesis. But it needs to be explored," said WHO in the interview. 

ALSO READ: COVID-19 Update: New Coronavirus NOT Related to Salmon; Experts Suggest New Theory

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Jamie Pancho

ⓒ 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Join the Discussion