Existence of coronavirus found on packaging of imported frozen seafood: Chinese authorities

BEIJING | AUG 12, 2020:

The authorities in China have reportedly found the existence of the deadly novel coronavirus on the packaging of imported frozen seafood that arrived from the port city of Dalian, a local government said on Tuesday, August 11.

According to Reuters, the virus was found on the outer packaging of frozen seafood bought by three companies in Yantai, a port city in eastern Shandong province.

In a statement, the Yantai city government said that the seafood was from an imported shipment that landed at Dalian; however, it did not mention where it originated from.

In July, customs officers in Dalian, a major port in the northeastern province of Liaoning, found the coronavirus in the packaging of frozen shrimps imported from Ecuador, and China then suspended imports from three Ecuadorian shrimp producers.

The novel coronavirus is believed to have emerged in a market that sold seafood and wildlife in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.

It has since spread around the world, with some new cases brought back into China from returning travelers.

The latest outbreak of coronavirus in Dalian city started in late July, with the first case working at a seafood processing company. By August 9, Dalian had reported a total of 92 cases.