Frozen chicken wings imported to China from Brazil have tested positive for the coronavirus, local authorities said on Thursday. A sample was taken from the surface of the wings and tested positive, making them one of the last imports of food to test positive for the virus, according to Reuters.
In addition to the frozen wings, which were imported to Shenzhen, the outer packaging of frozen Ecuadorian shrimp sold in Xian on Thursday also tested positive for the virus, Reuters reported, according to local authorities.
On Wednesday, traces of coronavirus were found on a package of frozen shrimp in Anhui province. The shrimp were also from Ecuador.
While the CDC says there is no evidence to suggest that consuming or consuming food is associated with COVID-19, China has increased screenings to deal with concerns about food imports.
Coronaviruses are thought to be most commonly spread by person through respiratory drops, says the CDC. “However, it is possible that one could get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object, including food or food packaging, that has the virus on it and then touch their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes,” the CDC says.
This is not thought to be the main way in which the virus spreads, and the risk of eating COVID-19 is thought to be very low, says the CDC. “The virus that causes COVID-19 cannot grow on food. Although bacteria can grow on food, a virus requires a living host like a person or an animal to multiply,” the CDC says.
The CDC recommends washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling food, or before preparing food and snacks.
However, all containers of meat and seabirds arriving in major ports in China are screened. In June, China stopped some meat imports – including those from Brazil, Reuters reports.
As a precaution, anyone who may have come into contact with the potentially contaminated food products in Shenzhen was tracked down and checked by health authorities there. All results were negative, the city said, according to Reuters.
Tests are also being conducted for those who may have come into contact with the contaminated shrimp, as well as the environment around the local market, in Xian.
CBS News has reached out to the Brazilian and Ecuadorian embassies in Beijing for comment.
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