Published 18:48 IST, January 3rd 2021

COVID-19 strain found on multiple auto parts packaging in China; goods sealed

All related goods from auto parts manufacturer across the province have been sealed by authorities, the state’s COVID prevention and control office informed.

World News
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On January 2, Chinese authorities found strains of the SARS-CoV-2 on the auto part packaging across several parts in China. This came after an employee at an auto firm contracted the virus. According to China’s state-run press Xinhua, China’s Center for disease control and prevention detected the virus on the auto tire packaging in the city of Jincheng, north China's Shanxi Province.

In a release, China’s COVID-19 prevention and control office said that the health authorities initiated an emergency response for sanitizing the companies and auto products across the province to mitigate the spread. Meanwhile, those that visited the auto centers for vehicle servicing or purchased the parts were now being traced by the officials.

All related goods from the auto parts manufacturer across the province have been sealed by the authorities, the state’s prevention and control office informed in a statement. It added that the persons who came in close contact with the parts were ordered to quarantine. The authorities initiated rigorous mass testing and contact tracing to isolate those that return COVID-19 positive diagnosis in order to stem the fresh outbreak. In the capital of north China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Hohhot, officials found at least five samples of auto parts packaging were contaminated with the coronavirus at a 4S store.

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Three batches of auto parts sold

The city’s COVID-19 prevention headquarters announced that the firm, where one tested positive to COVID-19, had distributed nearly three batches of auto parts across various outlets, which were eventually sold out to the customers. At least one of the stores where the auto parts were delivered was found to have the virus on the packaging. According to sources of Xinhua, all three stores were shut down by the government, and the auto parts supply in these outlets were seized.

One employee, who had come in contact with the automobile parts of the three stores, tested negative for the virus. He was kept in isolation to monitor symptoms. The positive samples were traced in Cangzhou in Hebei Province, and Yantai and Linyi in Shandong Province by China’s COVID-19 prevention team.

Earlier, the country had detected the coronavirus strain on the packaging of a batch of beef imported from Brazil. Wuhan Municipal Health Commission had confirmed at least three positive coronavirus samples detected on the outer packaging of frozen, boneless Brazilian beef.