Chinese Expert: "Beijing's New COVID-19 Cases Soon to Reach Zero... Food Supplies Are Safe"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Park Sun-mi] Amid the continuous emergence of new COVID-19 cases related to the Beijing agricultural and aquatic products wholesale market for the past two weeks, optimistic forecasts suggest that the number will soon reach 'zero'.

Wu Zunyou, Chief Epidemiologist at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, stated in an interview with China Youth Daily on the 26th, "The number of new confirmed cases in Beijing could be zero after 7 to 10 days," adding, "The COVID-19 situation in Beijing is already under control."

He explained, "The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Beijing will not exceed 400," and "The most important indicator that the situation is under control is either no new infections occurring or a significant decrease in the number of new infections compared to several days ago."

He added, "However, even if the number of new confirmed cases in Beijing reaches zero, sporadic infections may still occur," and "Such occurrences are common in epidemic situations. This is why we need to continue monitoring for some time even after new confirmed cases reach zero."

Most of the COVID-19 confirmed cases in Beijing so far have been linked to the Xinfadi market, an agricultural and aquatic products wholesale market. However, experts also say that the cluster infections originating from the market do not necessarily lead to infections through food ingredients.

Wang Guichang, Head of the Infectious Diseases Department at Peking University First Hospital, stated at a Beijing COVID-19 prevention press conference the previous day that although cluster infections occurred at the Xinfadi wholesale market, the seafood, meat, and other food ingredients currently sold at the market are safe, and "COVID-19 is transmitted through droplets or close contact, and there is no evidence that it is transmitted through the digestive tract. The risk of infection through food consumption is very low."

Meanwhile, according to the National Health Commission of China (NHC) on the same day, 11 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, 3 suspected cases, and 1 asymptomatic infection were added in Beijing on the 25th. Since the first cluster infection case was confirmed at the Xinfadi market on the 11th, the total number of confirmed cases reported in Beijing has reached 280. The number of asymptomatic infections, which authorities do not include in the new confirmed case count, is 22.

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