Beijing Cluster Infection in China, Caused by Imported Salmon? ..."Clear Investigation Needed"

COVID-19 Virus Detected on Imported Salmon Cutting Board
Expert: "People and Objects Contacting the Board May Also Be Contagious"

Beijing Xinfadi Wholesale Market, identified as a source of the resurgence of the novel coronavirus infection in China / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Lim Juhyung] Amid a cluster infection of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at Xinfadi (新發地), Beijing's largest agricultural and aquatic products wholesale market, the COVID-19 virus was detected on a cutting board used to slice salmon. Given this situation, concerns have arisen that COVID-19 infections might be spreading through imported salmon.

However, domestic and international experts have pointed out that further investigation is needed regarding the possibility of salmon being infected with COVID-19.

Yang Peng (楊鵬), director of the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, stated in an interview with Chinese broadcaster CCTV on the 14th (local time), "Analysis of the viral gene sequence detected at the Xinfadi market in Beijing confirmed that it originated from the European direction," adding, "We are tentatively judging that it was imported from overseas."

Director Yang explained, "The infection route, such as how the virus spread, has not yet been confirmed," and added, "It is possible that the virus was introduced through seafood or meat contaminated with the virus, or through secretions from people entering and exiting the market."

Earlier, Beijing city announced on the 12th that the COVID-19 virus was detected on a cutting board used to slice imported salmon within the Xinfadi market. This has raised concerns that salmon caught in Europe might have been contaminated with the COVID-19 virus and introduced into China, leading to the spread of infection.

Accordingly, Beijing city, Guangdong province, and three other provinces and cities in China are conducting large-scale food safety inspections. It has also been reported that the import and sale of salmon have been suspended in several regions of China, including Beijing.

Visitors to the Xinpaidi Market in Beijing, China, and nearby residents lined up for COVID-19 testing at a sports center in Beijing on the 14th (local time). / Photo by Yonhap News

However, domestic and international experts have pointed out that the likelihood of salmon being a vector for the COVID-19 virus is low.

Wu Zunyou (吳尊友), an epidemiology expert at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said in an interview with a Chinese media outlet, "Just because the COVID-19 virus was detected on the cutting board does not mean that salmon is the source of infection," adding, "It is possible that people or objects that came into contact with the cutting board were the source of infection."

Jung Eun-kyung, head of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, also explained at a regular briefing held at the Osong Disease Control Headquarters in Chungbuk on the afternoon of the 15th, "Although the virus was confirmed on the cutting board used to cut imported salmon, it is necessary to conduct a clearer investigation to determine whether the contamination was caused by a specific imported salmon or by secretions from workers handling the salmon."

Meanwhile, the cluster infection that occurred at the Xinfadi market on the 11th continues to spread as of the 16th. The number of new COVID-19 cases in Beijing has been steadily increasing, recording 6 on the 12th, 36 on the 13th, 36 on the 14th, 27 on the 15th, and 40 on the 16th.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.