Chinese cities find coronavirus in frozen food imports, WHO downplays infection risk

FILE PHOTO: A woman looks at frozen food products in a supermarket following an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Beijing, China, August 13, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

BEIJING/SHANGHAI/BRASILIA (Reuters) - Two cities in China have found traces of the new coronavirus in cargoes of imported frozen food, local authorities said on Thursday, although the World Health Organization downplayed the risk of the virus entering the food chain.

A sample taken from the surface of frozen chicken wings imported into the southern city of Shenzhen from Brazil, as well as samples of outer packaging of frozen Ecuadorian shrimp sold in the northwestern city of Xian, have tested positive for the virus, local Chinese authorities said.