摘要
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)RNA contamination was reported on China’s imported frozen foods and packaging materials.However,there was no evidence of this disease initiated by environment-to-human transmission until the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)in Beijing in June 2020.This article aimed to analyze and summarize COVID-19 outbreaks related to cold-chain foods to provide a scientific basis for tracing the epidemiological trajectory of the pandemic,providing risk assessments,and mitigation policies.Overall,37 COVID-19 outbreaks and 5,741 infected cases were reported within the study period.It was found that 7 outbreaks and 689 cases were linked to imported frozen foods.The first index case among the 7 outbreaks was exposed to SARS-CoV-2-contaminated outer packaging of frozen food,triggering the subsequent community transmission.This study supported the speculation that cold-chain foods act as a pathway for SARS-CoV-2 and might present a risk for virus transmission between countries and regions.Handlers and processors exposed to the imported frozen foods should be effectively self-protected,daily monitored for clinical manifestations of COVID-19,and tested for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid at regular intervals.
