Routine government tests found traces of COVID-19 on three samples of ice cream during an inspection at a factory in northern China.
Authorities believe that nearly 5,000 boxes of ice cream, 4,836 to be exact, may have been contaminated, reports British media “Sky News”. More than half of these have also already been delivered to shops for sale.
Only 2,089 boxes produced by the Tianjin Daqiaodo Food Company could be seized. In addition, the approximately 1,662 employees of the company are currently in isolation.
The virologist from the University of Leeds, in the United Kingdom, Dr Stephen Griffin said that the contamination was probably due to a person infected with the coronavirus.
“Obviously, any contamination is unacceptable and is always a source of concern, but the chances are that it is the result of a problem related to the factory and, potentially, to the hygiene measures”, he said explained in interview.
According to Dr Griffin, the virus may have survived in the product due to the cold temperature of the ice cream and the fat content of the food.
The virologist also urged the public not to panic over the incident.
“We probably don’t need to panic and think that all ice cream boxes are contaminated with the virus,” he adds.
However, the authorities still invited people who allegedly consumed the product to follow up with public health so that they can trace potential cases.
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