By | Been Written
Contributing Writer | Telegraph Local
Researchers at the South China Agricultural University and Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Guangzhou found SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, collected from salmon samples could survive for eight days at 4 degrees Celsius (39 degrees Fahrenheit).
The Bloomberg article reports that’s roughly the temperature at which the fish are transported. The research was released Sunday in a report ahead of publication and peer review.
The report itself says, “The first outbreak of COVID-19 in late 2019 and early 2020 was associated with the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan, China, while the second outbreak of COVID-19 in June of 2020 was associated with the Xinfadi Seafood Market in Beijing, China.”
“Different from vegetables and other food, fish have to be transported, stored and sold under a low-temperature environment,” normally 32-39 degrees fahrenheit.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that ‘Currently there is no evidence that people can get COVID-19 by eating or handling food.’
The CDC says that COVID-19 is a new disease, caused by a novel (or new) coronavirus that has not previously been seen in humans.
Basically it is a respiratory illness that quickly infects people worldwide. So far, there is no cure for the illness.
“It may be possible that people can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object, such as a food package or dining ware that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes. However, this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.”
The researcher’s report says that, “In conclusion, fish-attached SARS-CoV-2 can survive for more than one week at 4°C, the temperature of refrigerators, cold rooms, or transport carriers for storage of fish before selling in the fish or seafood market.”
“This calls for strict inspection or detection of SARS-CoV-2 as a critical new protocol in fish importation and exportation before allowing sales.”