Food markets under scrutiny

Sample collection: A staff member of Nanming district’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention collecting a swab from frozen fish at a market in Guiyang, Guizhou province. — Reuters

BEIJING: Wholesale food markets across China will be put under stricter scrutiny to minimise risks to food safety and transmission of the novel coronavirus, say officials with the country’s top market regulator.

The State Administration for Market Regulation will urge its branches across the country to intensify efforts in epidemic control and prevention, focusing on key venues such as wholesale markets selling agricultural products, Chen Xu, an official for market inspection with the administration, said at a news conference on Friday.