Covid-19: China is testing live fish for Covid-19 as cases spread

When the Chinese city of Xiamen detected 40 cases of Covid-19 among its population, officials ordered more than the five million inhabitants to get tested. Apart from humans, city officials are also giving PCR tests to some forms of sea life including fish and crabs, BBC reports.

Not unprecedented

The Maritime Pandemic Control committee in the southern Chinese city sent out a notice saying fishermen, as well as any live seafood they bring back with them be tested. Video footage of medical workers performing PCR tests on live fish and crabs has gone viral on Chinese social media platforms this week.

According to the South China Morning Post newspaper, a city official from Xiamen disclosed that they took a cue from a neighbouring city which had its fish tested for Covid-19 as well.

We've taken lessons from Hainan, which is witnessing a severe outbreak. It's said that it may be triggered by marine product transactions between local fishermen and their overseas counterparts.

Fish as Covid-19 carriers?

Authorities in Hainan, also a coastal city, believe the more than 10,000 cases of Covid-19 they’ve recorded since the beginning of August could be linked to the fishing community.

Generally, Chinese media have held the assertion that sealife might have links to the coronavirus, especially since the first outbreak in 2020 was linked to a live animal and seafood market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

Although there is no concrete evidence to suggest that seafood is a host for the virus, many of the outbreaks in China have been linked to port workers, those handling cold chain goods, or workers at seafood markets, according to the BBC.

Apart from aquatic products, PCR tests have been conducted on a variety of animals including chickens and cats across China over the past couple of years.

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