SHENZHEN, China — China said that a sample of frozen chicken wings imported from Brazil into Shenzhen tested positive for COVID-19.
The virus was found during a screening of imported frozen food in the Longgang district of Shenzhen, according to CNN. At least three Chinese cities have reported detecting the virus on imported frozen food this week including on the packaging of frozen shrimp and on the packaging of frozen seafood, according to Reuters.
“The number of virus particles coming out a person’s mouth or nose is far greater than a few virus particles remaining on frozen foods, somebody touching it and then spreading it,” T. Jacob John, retired professor of clinical virology at Christian Medical College, told Reuters. “Among all the risks, I think these are very low risks.”
In June, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Food and Drug Administration said that there was no evidence that people could contract COVID-19 from food or from food packaging.
Dong-Yan, virology professor at the University of Hong Kong told Reuters that while coronavirus cannot replicate on a surface, it could be spread by contact. Some studies suggest that the virus can live on paper or plastic for up to five days.