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. 2022 Jun 3;4(22):483-487.
doi: 10.46234/ccdcw2022.072.

COVID-19 Outbreaks Linked to Imported Frozen Food in China: Status and Challege

Jiahui Wang  1 , Fengqin Li  1 , Zhaoping Liu  1 , Ning Li  1
Affiliations

COVID-19 Outbreaks Linked to Imported Frozen Food in China: Status and Challege

Jiahui Wang et al. China CDC Wkly. .

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA contamination was reported on China's imported frozen foods and packaging materials. However, there was no evidence of this disease initiated by environment-to-human transmission until the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Beijing in June 2020. This article aimed to analyze and summarize COVID-19 outbreaks related to cold-chain foods to provide a scientific basis for tracing the epidemiological trajectory of the pandemic, providing risk assessments, and mitigation policies. Overall, 37 COVID-19 outbreaks and 5,741 infected cases were reported within the study period. It was found that 7 outbreaks and 689 cases were linked to imported frozen foods. The first index case among the 7 outbreaks was exposed to SARS-CoV-2-contaminated outer packaging of frozen food, triggering the subsequent community transmission. This study supported the speculation that cold-chain foods act as a pathway for SARS-CoV-2 and might present a risk for virus transmission between countries and regions. Handlers and processors exposed to the imported frozen foods should be effectively self-protected, daily monitored for clinical manifestations of COVID-19, and tested for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid at regular intervals.

Keywords: COVID19; frozen food; outbreak.

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Conflict of interest statement

No conflicts of interest. Table 1Summary of COVID-19 outbreaks linked to the imported cold-chain food between June 2020 and May 2021 in China.Location & timeCasesConfirmed cases n, %Asymptomatic patient n, %Duration of epidemicAge median & rangeRatio of male to femaleSource of infectionPath of infectionMild case/ moderate caseSever case/ critical caseOnset time of the first & last casesDays2020-6, Fengtai, Beijing402362, 90.00, 040, 10.02020/6/5–7/93542, 1–861∶0.8Virus-contaminated imported cold-chain foodIt may be initially caused by the introduction of virus into Xinfadi Wholesale Market via the imported cold-chain foods contaminated with SARS-COV-2.2020-7, Dalian-1, Liaoning13599, 73.30, 036, 26.72020/7/9–8/62943, 0–731∶1.2Virus-contaminated outer packaging of imported frozen codA dockworker exposed to SARS-CoV-2-contaminated outer packaging of the imported frozen cod during the inbound unloading transferred the infection to his wife who worked at a cold-chain product processing and storage company, resulting in a community spread of COVID-19.2020-9, Qingdao, Shandong1412, 85.71, 7.11, 7.12020/9/24– 10/14 2147.5, 23–831∶0.8Virus-contaminated outer packaging of the imported frozen codA dockworker exposed to SARS-CoV-2-contaminated outer packaging of the imported frozen cod during inbound unloading and caused the subsequent community transmission via personal contact during his health check in hospital.2020-11, Binhai, Tianjin-122, 100.00, 00, 02020/11/5– 11/10 648.5, 38–47male onlyVirus-contaminated cold-chain food or environmentPorters were infected via exposure to the imported frozen food or environment contaminated by SARS-CoV-2, causing a community transmission.2020-11, Binhai, Tianjin-2107, 70.01, 10.02, 20.02020/11/17– 11/27 1138.5, 6–611∶0.4Virus-contaminated cold-chain foodPorters were infected via exposure to the imported frozen foods or environment contaminated by SARS-CoV-2, causing a community transmission.2020-12, Dalian-2, Liaoning8351, 61.50, 032, 38.62020/12/15– 2021/1/8 2546, 0–881∶1.8Virus-contaminated cold-chain goods.Porters were infected by contact with cold-chain goods, causing a wide community transmission.2021-5, Liaoning-Anhui4324, 55.80, 019, 44.22021/5/3– 5/24 2229, 2–821∶2.3Virus-contaminated imported frozen codPorters were infected with SARS-Cov-2 during the handling of cold-chain foods in a cold storage, resulting in a local transmission of COVID-19 and spread to other areas.

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