Since China brought its Covid-19 epidemic under control earlier this year, a number of local outbreaks have sparked concerns that the novel coronavirus which causes the disease may spread through global chilled-food supply chains.

That theory has now been strengthened after the country’s disease control authority said it “isolated” active samples of the virus from packaging used to store frozen fish in the eastern port city of Qingdao, which recently recorded a Covid-19 flare-up.

The discovery marks the first time that active viruses have been found on packaging under the extreme conditions of cold storage. However, the authority said the risk to public health from contact with frozen or chilled foods is “very low.”

Viruses are known to remain active for long periods in subzero conditions, including the refrigerated containers used to move meat, seafood and other perishable products around the world.

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Contact reporter Matthew Walsh (matthewwalsh@caixin.com)