(Fighting New Coronary Pneumonia) New Coronary Live Virus Isolated from Qingdao Cold Chain Food Packaging
China News Service, Beijing, October 17th. The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced on the 17th that during the traceability investigation of the new crown pneumonia epidemic in Qingdao, the center had detected and isolated positive samples from the outer packaging of imported frozen cod carried by workers. Live virus.
This is the first time that the live new coronavirus has been isolated on the outer packaging of cold-chain food, and it has been confirmed that contact with the outer packaging contaminated by the new coronavirus can cause infection.
China Disease Control pointed out that the isolation of live virus from Qingdao cold chain food packaging is the first time it has been confirmed outside the laboratory that the new coronavirus can survive on the outer packaging of items for a long time under special conditions of cold chain transportation, suggesting that the new coronavirus is Cold chain goods are carriers with the possibility of long-distance cross-border import.
Under certain environmental conditions, the virus on the surface of the article may cause infection of susceptible contacts without effective protection. The people at risk of infection are mainly employees of cold chain articles.
This finding suggests that while preventing the importation of infected persons abroad, it is necessary to pay attention to the risk of importing viruses from cold chain items contaminated with viruses abroad.
Recently, relevant Chinese authorities have carried out random inspections of new coronavirus nucleic acid on cold chain foods.
As of September 15, 24 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) across the country had submitted 2.98 million test results, including 670,000 cold-chain food and packaging samples, 1.24 million samples from employees, and 1.07 million environmental samples. 22 pieces of food and packaging were found to be positive for the new coronavirus nucleic acid, with a low viral nucleic acid load. No live virus has been isolated before.
Existing research and prevention and control practices show that new coronary pneumonia is not a food-borne disease, and no infection caused by food intake has been found.
So far, no cases of consumers infected by contact with contaminated cold chain seafood have been found, and the risk of infection among Chinese consumers is extremely low.
The main route of transmission of the new coronavirus is still through respiratory droplets and close contact.
At the same time, relevant Chinese authorities have increased the monitoring and disinfection of imported cold-chain foods for the new coronavirus. The general public should pay attention to keeping them clean, separate raw and cooked foods, and can purchase and consume imported fresh foods normally.
Viruses surviving under certain conditions on virus-contaminated items may cause infection of susceptible contacts without effective protection, mainly employees in related industries.
The seventh edition of the new crown pneumonia prevention and control plan issued recently by the government has required localities to implement daily protection, health monitoring and active nucleic acid screening for employees related to cold chain food, improve environmental sanitation conditions for production, processing and trading, and reduce the risk of infection among employees.
China CDC recommends that industry practitioners who are in close contact with cold chain products with a high possibility of new crown virus contamination, such as those engaged in cold chain product handling, processing, and sales, need to increase their awareness of protection and do daily protection. Avoid direct skin contact with cold chain products that may be contaminated. After contact with cold chain products, do not take off the work clothes that may be contaminated and do not touch your mouth, nose and eyes before washing your hands and disinfection. Wash your hands and disinfect your hands immediately after the work is completed, and conduct regular nucleic acid screening. (Finish)