Revival of COVID-19 events related to cold chain food or packaging contamination

In a recent study published in the latest issue of Biomedical JournalResearchers reviewed the recurrence event of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China associated with frozen foods and packaging contaminated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). ..

They identified one of the weaknesses of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic. In this case, patient zero often remained hidden and difficult to detect. As a result, the outbreak of infectious disease became apparent only after a while and spread out of control by that time. Current review results may help devise more effective COVID-19 mitigation and intervention strategies for the future.

Background

COVID related to frozen food or packaging contamination as China imports frozen foods from countries where the COVID-19 epidemic continues after the first COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China in late 2019- 19 Several outbreaks of recurrent events have been reported.

Most of these events reported since July 2020 date back to frozen shrimp imported from Ecuador. Then, in September 2020, the live SARS-CoV-2 virus was carried from the outer box of imported frozen cod carried by two cargo handling workers who were found to be SARS-CoV-2 positive during the routine. It was separated. Nucleic acid Amplification inspection (NAAT) inspection of staff at Qingdao Port in China. According to the author, this event was the first known case of raw SARS-CoV-2 detected in cold chain foods, confirming that it survives in cold chain food packaging and spreads through cross-border transport. rice field.

Perhaps SARS-CoV-2 itself is not the cause of material surface contamination. Instead, a closed, high-humidity environment for food packaging and processing facilities and transportation favors the spread of SARS-CoV-2 from substances to humans. To date, the epidemiological characteristics of such COVID-19 outbreaks and the risk of this transmission route remain unknown.

In this study, researchers conducted a literature search on the official websites of the China Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local governments to identify COVID-19 recurrence events related to cold chain food or packaging contamination. In addition, they gathered evidence of relevant epidemiological events and laboratories to support their work.

Incidence of COVID-19 resurrection in China

On August 6, 2020, in Yingkou, Liaoning Province, China, three packaged food samples were SARS-CoV-2 positive, but all 43 employees and 306 employees of the company were SARS- with NAAT and antibodies. Tested for CoV-2 negative. test. This finding led researchers to one of the most interesting findings of this literature review that SARS-CoV-2 is not contagious by eating or buying cold chain foods. Therefore, only port personnel, especially Steve Doll, were at high risk of being infected with SARS-CoV-2 because they were in direct contact with the virus-contaminated substance and preferentially required COVID-19 vaccination. it is clear.

In addition, this discovery led to the understanding that it was successful. COVID-19 infection Infection to humans occurs only through the surface of the material if: i) the human (host) comes into direct contact with the surface of the material contaminated with SARS-CoV-2, including food packaging, ii) human Carriers release the virus to the surface.

Interestingly, SARS-CoV-2 survives (survives) and is stable for several days on the surface of materials such as corrugated cardboard and plastic, especially under refrigerated (4 ° C) and frozen (-10 to -80 ° C) conditions. To maintain. However, when you come into direct contact and find another human body, it spreads rapidly through person-to-person transmission.

Incidence of COVID-19 will be restored in other countries

The fairly popular COVID-19 resurrection event took place in Auckland, New Zealand in August 2020. After the local cases of COVID-19 in Auckland went to zero for 102 consecutive days, authorities reported COVID-19 cases confirmed in four laboratories in one Auckland household not abroad. Travel history. In particular, one of the SARS-CoV-2 positive individuals in this household worked for a cold chain company.

Within two days, three more employees tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, and seven families of these cold chain workers also tested positive. By October 2020, there were 179 unidentified cases with the C.12 strain of SARS-CoV-2 designated as the outbreak of the Auckland August cluster.

Similarly, similar outbreaks are occurring among workers in food processing facilities in several other countries, including Australia, Japan, Germany and the United States.

In addition, between July and October 2019, there were multiple cruise ship outbreaks of norovirus in the United States. Current food supply reviews have traced the infection to frozen raspberries imported from China and had to recall them thereafter. Long-term close contact with colleagues, shared workspaces and transportation, and workplace conditions such as apartment buildings also increase the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

According to data released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on March 1.^st And May 31st^stIn 2020, there were 28,364 reported cases and 132 deaths among workers at 382 meat and poultry processing facilities in several states in the United States. Often, these workplaces are crowded and generally humid, helping to communicate from person to person, from person to thing, and from thing to person.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this survey emphasizes the entire region where imported products arrive, as the importance of the survey material and frequent human testing alone are not sufficient. In addition, survey data suggest that regular sampling of imported products and proper disinfection are effective ways to detect SARS-CoV-2 and prevent its spread to the surface of the material.

In 2021, the State Council of the People’s Republic of China’s Joint Prevention and Management Mechanism issued a set of technical guidance on the prevention of COVID-19 infections associated with cold chain foods and the management of outbreaks at several community levels. .. Possibility to change into fashion.