Although this may seem unusual, it is not the first time that fish have been tested for coronavirus
More than five million people were ordered to be tested for Covid-19 in the coastal Chinese city of Xiamen this week, after around 40 cases of the virus were detected.
However, they are not the only ones who have been ordered to undergo tests, as the BBC notes. An official announcement says that some forms of marine organisms are also expected to “participate” in the latest mass testing campaign.
In recent weeks, the region’s regional committee dealing with the pandemic issued a statement stating that when fishermen return to their ports, “both they and their seafood must be inspected.”
The result was that in the midst of this latest outbreak, videos appeared on several social media platforms, including Douyin – China’s local version of TikTok – showing employees doing PCR tests on fish and crabs!
Although this may seem unusual, it is not the first time that fish have been tested for coronavirus.
China’s southern Hainan province, a coastal region like Xiamen, has recorded more than 10,000 Covid-19 cases since early August, and authorities have said they believe the outbreak is likely to be linked to the fishing community.
Chinese media have long raised concerns that marine organisms may be linked to the coronavirus. Although seafood is unlikely to be a host for the virus, many of the outbreaks in China have been linked to port workers, cold chain handlers or seafood market workers.
In June 2020, state media reported that the virus had been detected on cutting boards used for imported salmon. This led not only to restaurants and supermarkets pulling salmon off their shelves, but also to halting imports. Panic spread nationwide, with widespread nervousness about consuming the product.
It’s really massive mass testing if even the hippos are undergoing Covid19 tests (twice a week now, apparently). pic.twitter.com/WSxeQq8m7A
— Manya Koetse (@manyapan) May 8, 2022
In May, official media released footage of a hippo being examined at a wildlife park in eastern Zhejiang, saying it was “necessary” for the creature to be examined twice a week.
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