This story was originally appeared on TVNZ and is republished with permission
China has claimed it’s found Covid-19 on food products imported from New Zealand.
China says it’s found Covid-19 on frozen goods from New Zealand
Reuters today reported it found coronavirus on beef and tripe products and packaging that originated from Brazil, Bolivia and New Zealand in Jinan in Shandong province.
But speaking on TVNZ1’s Breakfast today Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says she’s looking into the report after “being advised it’s not our beef”.
“We’ve been advised that’s Argentinean beef, so just trying to get to the bottom of what’s been reported there as we speak but rest assured we’ll keep doing that. But to this point I’ve been advised it’s not our beef but we’ll keep working away on that.”
China has made similar detections before from other countries as it ramped up testing on frozen goods in an attempt to stop Covid-19 from coming into the country.
China has now suspended imports of frozen goods from some countries with clusters of the coronavirus. New Zealand is not on that list at this stage.
NZ’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it had not been informed directly about the issue by Chinese authorities.
“New Zealand officials are working now to ascertain the origin and veracity of these reports.”
The World Health Organization has consistently said the risk of contracting Covid-19 from frozen packaging low.
The global Covid-19 outbreak originated in Wuhan, China. It’s widely thought a person contracted the virus from an animal at a market in the city.
