New Medium of COVID-19 Transmission?

[Carbon82]

While I really hesitate to start another thread on COVID-19, but these latest reports may have suggested something we don't know (yet). It might be worthwhile for the relevant authorities to take a closer look and come up with suitable measures to prevent potential outbreak, IF there are further evidences supporting the claim.

China's Shenzhen says chicken imported from Brazil tests positive for coronavirus

BEIJING: A sample of frozen chicken wings imported into the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen from Brazil has tested positive for coronavirus, the city government said on Thursday (Aug 13), raising fears that contaminated food shipments could cause new outbreaks.

Local disease control centres tested a surface sample taken from the chicken wings as part of routine screenings carried out on meat and seafood imports since June, when a new outbreak in Beijing was linked to the city's Xinfadi wholesale food centre.

The discovery came a day after traces of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 were found on the packaging of frozen shrimp from Ecuador. China has been stepping up screenings at ports amid the concerns over food imports.

The Shenzhen Epidemic Prevention and Control Headquarters said the public needed to take precautions to reduce infection risks from imported meat and seafood.

Li Fengqin, who heads a microbiology lab at the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment told reporters in June the possibility of contaminated frozen food causing new infections could not be ruled out.

Viruses can survive up to two years at temperatures of minus 20 degrees Celsius, but scientists say there is no strong evidence so far the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 can spread via frozen food.

 

Coronavirus found on packaging of Ecuador shrimps in China: State media

BEIJING: A city in China's eastern Anhui province found the novel coronavirus on the packaging of shrimps from Ecuador, state media reported on Wednesday (Aug 12), in the latest instance of the virus being detected on imported products.

The coronavirus was found on the outer packaging of frozen shrimps bought by a restaurant in Wuhu city when local authorities carried out a routine inspection, CCTV, China's state television, said.

The news broke a day after a port city in eastern Shandong province said it found the virus on the packaging of imported frozen seafood, although it did not say where it originated.

Since July, several other Chinese cities have also reported cases, including the port cities of Xiamen and Dalian, prompting China to suspend imports from three Ecuadorean shrimp producers.

China embarked on intensive screening of meat and seafood containers at major ports after a fresh outbreak of the disease was linked to a wholesale food market in Beijing in June.

 

New Zealand considers freight as possible source of new COVID-19 cluster

WELLINGTON: New Zealand officials are investigating the possibility that its first COVID-19 cases in more than three months were imported by freight, as the country plunged back into lockdown on Wednesday (Aug 12).

The source of the outbreak has baffled health officials, who said they were confident there was no local transmission of the virus in New Zealand for 102 days and that the family had not travelled overseas.

Investigations were zeroing in on the potential the virus was imported by freight. Bloomfield said surface testing was under way in an Auckland cool store where a man from the infected family worked.

"We are very confident we didn't have any community transmission for a very long period," Bloomfield said during a televised media conference. "We know the virus can survive within refrigerated environments for quite some time."

[1fast1]

Cook the chicken or your goose is cooked.

[1fast1]

Also, we want to avoid headlines like:

"Man, 45, twenty-eighth fatality due to COVID-19. Fowl play suspected."

Edited August 13, 2020 by Turboflat4

[Somewhat1975]

I think it is highly possible for virus to transmit via frozen meat. As long as the meat is contaminated by infected person, virus can jump from the meat to food processor if no precaution is taken.

i told my family to stop consuming frozen food since June, especially those food from US and Brazil. If die die have to buy, wash  the hand after touching those frozen food.

Sg govt is reactive again. I haven’t heard any thing from them about this, even China has reported this since June. Now, with the new report from New Zealand,  hopefully they will do something. 

[Jamesc]

Where to buy this chicken and shrimp

for my MIL?

Edited August 13, 2020 by Jamesc

[Ody_2004]

29 minutes ago, Jamesc said:

Where to buy this chicken and shrimp

for my MIL?

U wanna try Tyson? whahahahahaha..

Skip to 10:50 mins

 

[Carbon82]

It is not so much about the meat itself (since it will be cooked before we consume them), but the packaging and potential contamination of the storage area and at point of sales (supermart, wet market, or even eatery - cross contamination by food handler). 

I brought these up not to create fear or getting people into paranoid mode, but to heighten awareness and emphasise the importance of maintaining good personal hygiene. It is always good to assume all surface are contaminated, and wash your hand as often as possible.

And to our SFA, NEA, MOH, etc., please do your due diligence to ensure the safety of Singaporeans, we do not wish to see another "don't need to wear mask" advice, if you get my point. It is easy to brush things off or claim that it was a honest mistake, but we all have to live with the consequences for a long long time... 

[Sosaria]

I don't think the infection could be caused by eating the food, which is cooked. More from touching the contaminated packaging or fresh food, then never wash hands properly. Or working in that environment without wearing masks - assuming when there's sufficient amount of contaminated frozen food, eventually there's contamination of the surrounding air as well.

South America is heading towards herd immunity - can see that huge numbers are infected, including workers in packaging plants, likely source of the virus on the frozen food.

[Adrianli]

9 hours ago, Carbon82 said:

It is not so much about the meat itself (since it will be cooked before we consume them), but the packaging and potential contamination of the storage area and at point of sales (supermart, wet market, or even eatery - cross contamination by food handler). 

I brought these up not to create fear or getting people into paranoid mode, but to heighten awareness and emphasise the importance of maintaining good personal hygiene. It is always good to assume all surface are contaminated, and wash your hand as often as possible.

And to our SFA, NEA, MOH, etc., please do your due diligence to ensure the safety of Singaporeans, we do not wish to see another "don't need to wear mask" advice, if you get my point. It is easy to brush things off or claim that it was a honest mistake, but we all have to live with the consequences for a long long time... 

Then I hope they spray down the whole packing when it disembark from the ships or planes.

[mersaylee]

12 hours ago, Jamesc said:

Where to buy this chicken and shrimp

for my MIL?

Have a feeling you'd also tell her it'd be best to consume them raw in order to extract all the natural nutrients from the freshness of the thaw frozen food. 

[Jamesc]

13 minutes ago, mersaylee said:

Have a feeling you'd also tell her it'd be best to consume them raw in order to extract all the natural nutrients from the freshness of the thaw frozen food. 

Yeah Chicken Tartar and Shrimp Sashimi. 

[Blueray]

WHO downplays danger of coronavirus latching on to food packaging

Quote

Viruses can survive up to two years at temperatures of minus 20 degrees Celsius, but scientists and officials say there is no strong evidence so far the coronavirus can spread via frozen food.

"People should not fear food, food packaging or delivery of food," the World Health Organization's head of emergencies programme Mike Ryan told a briefing.

"There is no evidence that food or the food chain is participating in transmission of this virus. And people should feel comfortable and safe."

WHO epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove said China had tested hundreds of thousands of packages and "found very, very few, less than 10" proving positive for the virus.

The US Food and Drug Administration and Agriculture Department said in a joint statement "there is no evidence that people can contract COVID-19 from food or from food packaging."

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/who-downplays-danger-of-covid-19-latching-on-to-food-packaging-13019018

[PSP415]

12 hours ago, Carbon82 said:

It is not so much about the meat itself (since it will be cooked before we consume them), but the packaging and potential contamination of the storage area and at point of sales (supermart, wet market, or even eatery - cross contamination by food handler). 

I brought these up not to create fear or getting people into paranoid mode, but to heighten awareness and emphasise the importance of maintaining good personal hygiene. It is always good to assume all surface are contaminated, and wash your hand as often as possible.

And to our SFA, NEA, MOH, etc., please do your due diligence to ensure the safety of Singaporeans, we do not wish to see another "don't need to wear mask" advice, if you get my point. It is easy to brush things off or claim that it was a honest mistake, but we all have to live with the consequences for a long long time... 

I agree that personal responsibility for good hygiene habits is the best foot forward to stay safe. 

There will always be idiots who despite all the rules and enforcement, think that Covid-19 fear them and will siam them far far.

Hence they wear masks wrongly or without one. And ignore all safe distancing or caps on numbers gathering. 

We are blessed with ready tap water to wash hands regularly. And easy access to clinics should one feel unwell. 

Every country have covidiots. They dun do their part to be socially responsible, we just do ours. But have them reported so they can be dealt with. 

New Zealand already seeing new cases, again. Covid-19 is just not going away so soon. Complacency is its best friend. 

Stay safe all 

Cheers 

[Heartlander]

Recently bought a 1.8kg pack of Tyson frozen drumsticks from NTUC. The production date was Sept/2019, got it thinking it is safe haha. Roasted and eaten about 3 weeks ago. Now still alive haha.

[13177]

3 minutes ago, Heartlander said:

Recently bought a 1.8kg pack of Tyson frozen drumsticks from NTUC. The production date was Sept/2019, got it thinking it is safe haha. Roasted and eaten about 3 weeks ago. Now still alive haha.

Production date in Sep 19 still ok la. Frozen meat should be able to keep long. Unless you tell me Sep 19 is the expiry date? Lol.

[Watwheels]

Not just food handlers must watch their hygiene but consumers should watch theirs as well.

I give an example of what I saw at a bakery. The way they sell their bread is to let customers choose their bread. So there's this elderly dude choosing his bread like choosing a wife. Pick up each and every choice to have a thorough look and at the same time the other side of his hand accidentally touching the other bread. He dunno contaminated how many buns in the process. Inconsiderate and disgusting. I gave up when I saw that. I went to another bakery, the bread is handled and packed by the staff while I point out my choices. That should be the ideal and hygienic way.

The fault shouldnt be on the food handlers all the time cos they are ppl out there who buy stuff like choosing a mate for life. If he or she is a super spreader and behave like that, anything is possible.

 

 

[Heartlander]

18 minutes ago, 13177 said:

Production date in Sep 19 still ok la. Frozen meat should be able to keep long. Unless you tell me Sep 19 is the expiry date? Lol.

The worry is that virus can be transmitted while frozen. Outbreak in USA should be from Dec/2019 earliest, so the meat from Sept batch should be safe to handle.

[golden_eagle]

Why scientists dont do experiment to put live virus under different scenarios like temp pressure uv light moisture concentration and medium then check whether the virus spreads, thats what engineers do to qualify materials like steel or car engines, and maybe the methodology makes engineering field progress much faster than medical field. 

 Judging from the report they dont provide is proof the virus is not viable.