The World Health Organization (WHO) has said there is no reason for people to be afraid of contracting coronavirus from food or its packaging.
‘People should not fear food, or food packaging or processing or delivery of food,’ said WHO head of emergencies programme, Mike Ryan. ‘There is no evidence that food or the food chain is participating in transmission of this virus. And people should feel comfortable and safe.’
Two traces of the coronavirus have been claimed in China on frozen chicken wings from Brazil and on outer packaging of frozen Ecuadorian shrimp. However, 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.’
Brazil’s Agriculture Ministry said in a statement that it was seeking clarification on the findings. Ecuador’s production minister, Ivan Ontaneda, told Reuters, ‘The country maintains strict protocols and cannot be held responsible for what happens to goods after they leave the country.’
