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China to Disinfect Cold-Chain Shipments to Avoid More Infections

China to Disinfect Cold-Chain Shipments to Avoid More Infections

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China will disinfect all overseas shipments of cold-chain products to try and avoid any potential transmission of the coronavirus, after contaminated pork and seafood were implicated in the infection of port workers, according to the country’s public health commission.

The move is aimed at ensuring the safety of imported chilled or frozen goods, while improving the efficiency of customs clearance and avoiding a backlog of cargoes at ports, according to the plan released Monday in conjunction with the customs administration, the transport ministry and the market regulator.

Contaminated frozen pork from Germany may have infected a port worker in China’s northern Tianjin city, the local health commission said on Sunday. Chinese cities in the northern province of Shandong last week were testing citizens who had close contact with contaminated pork from Brazil.

Disinfection will cover transport vehicles, and the inner and outer packaging of products. Shipments that test positive for the virus at ports will be returned or destroyed.

READ: Australia Warns of China Delays on All Seafood Shipments

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

With assistance from Bloomberg