Scientists reveal COVID-19 risk in frozen food

Scientists from Singapore claim that it is possible to get Covid-19 from contaminated imported chilled or frozen food, but the risk is very low, Report says, citing RIA Novosti.

The coronavirus that causes Covid-19 remains viable for at least three weeks at 4 deg C said Professor Dale Fisher, a senior consultant in the division of infectious diseases at the National University Hospital.

He recently concluded a study that involved putting the Sars-CoV-2 virus on prawn, salmon, and pork, and testing its viability after three weeks - an ample time frame for such food to be exported and sold, Prof Fisher said.

Transmission through imported food has become a hot topic following the re-emergence of Covid-19 in New Zealand after 102 days, with no cases, leading to a 12-day lockdown of the city of Auckland.

Four people infected work at a refrigerator storage facility, raising the possibility that they may have contracted the disease from the imported food before spreading it to others.

China recently reported finding the virus on frozen chicken wings from Brazil, where the pandemic is raging and on the outer packaging of frozen prawns from Ecuador.

"There is no evidence that food or the food chain is participating in the transmission of this virus, "Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO's emergency program, said during a press conference at the agency's Geneva headquarters.