Beijing : The Chinese port city of Dalian has ordered all businesses handling imported cold and frozen foods to suspend operations following the COVID-19 outbreak that began last week.
The city on China’s north-east coast has reported more than 80 COVID-19 cases in the past week, with the first one being reported by a warehouse worker in the city’s Zhuanghe area on November 4.
Local officials issued the order on Monday, state-backed newspaper Global Times reported on Thursday.
Unlike other countries, China maintains that frozen foods carry a risk of spreading COVID-19 and that officials reject goods from overseas if the virus is detected on the packaging, even though the World Health Organization says That is to say that neither the food nor the packaging is a known transmission route.
Dalian is a major port for seafood as well as fruit and some meats.
According to a notice posted on local industry websites, which could not be verified by Reuters, the suspension covers cold storage used by third-party cold storage facilities, bonded warehouses, food production companies and the catering sector.
Dalian’s food sector also faced severe disruption last year as authorities issued new requirements for cold storage warehouses because of the risk of the coronavirus entering the country on imported foods.
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