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Chinese officials say chicken wings from Brazil tested positive for coronavirus

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(WKBN) — Some chicken wings imported from Brazil have tested positive for the coronavirus in China, authorities said Thursday.

Chinese officials said in a statement that the virus was detected Wednesday on a surface sample of imported frozen chicken wings. The testing comes from the Chinese city of Shenzhen.


People who may have come in contact with the contaminated food were immediately tested, and all were shown to be negative, according to the statement from the Shenzhen Epidemic Prevention and Control Headquarters Office.

“The headquarters office reminded the general public to be cautious in buying imported frozen meat products and aquatic products in the near future, and to take personal protection to reduce the risk of contracting the new crown virus,” said the statement.

Reuters reported in July that China stopped importing shrimp from Ecuador after detecting coronavirus in some shipments.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, there is currently no evidence that handling food or consuming food is associated with COVID-19.

The coronavirus is primarily spread person to person through respiratory droplets when someone coughs, sneezes or talks.

It is possible that a person can contract COVID-19 by touching a surface or object, including food and food packaging that has the virus on it, but that is not the main way the virus is spread, the CDC says.