Imported shrimp under scrutiny after virus detected in batch

Pingxiang, East China's Jiangxi province, began inspecting frozen white shrimp imported from Ecuador after the novel coronavirus was detected on the packaging of shrimp of the same batch, the city's epidemic prevention and control office said on Wednesday.

The city was informed by the epidemic prevention authority of Hunan province on Monday afternoon that some customers in Pingxiang bought the frozen shrimp from Xingsheng Youxuan, an online selling platform, the office said in a statement.

The inside shipping containers and the outer packaging of shrimp sold on the platform tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the statement.

The city conducted an inspection on the distribution places, stores, consumers and relevant contacts of the shrimp and sealed the products, it said.

Relevant people have been required to quarantine at home and testing was conducted on the places, products and people who contacted the shrimp, it added.

No infections have been found yet, according to the statement.

China has suspended imports from three Ecuadorian companies after samples recently collected from inside shipping containers and the outer packaging of the shrimp tested positive for the virus, the General Administration of Customs, the National Health Commission and the State Administration for Market Regulation said in a released statement on Friday.