Coronavirus traces found in seafood, meat sections of Beijing food market

Reuters report that the Chinese authorities found in Beijing’s wholesale food market, in the meat and seafood sections, heavy contamination with coronavirus. The area’s low temperature and high humidity of this section of the market may have been contributing factors to the contamination. Beijing is tackling a resurgence of COVID-19 cases over the past week linked to the massive Xinfadi food center, which houses warehouses and trading halls. Among the patients who work at the Xinfadi market, most worked at seafood and aquatic product stalls, followed by the beef and mutton section. Patients from the seafood market showed symptoms earlier than others in the market. Low temperatures favorable to viral survival, as well as high humidity, might be possible explanations for why seafood markets could be a source of outbreaks based on a preliminary assessment. Health officials have also warned against eating raw salmon after the virus was discovered on chopping boards used for imported salmon, although the origin of the outbreak is not known. Low standards of hygiene in wholesale food markets and vulnerabilities in its food supply chain need to be urgently addressed, a leading body of the ruling Communist Party said this week. @ https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-china-seafood/china-finds-heavy-coronavirus-traces-in-seafood-meat-sections-of-beijing-food-market-idUSKBN23P20T