The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) announced in a statement yesterday that a sample of wrapping film used on the packaging of a batch of dairy products imported from Hong Kong tested positive for COVID-19, adding that the products have already been “sealed and destroyed”, and have not entered the market.
The statement pointed out that the bureau obtained a positive result from a nucleic acid test (NAT) conducted on a plastic wrapping film sample from the packaging of a pallet of the dairy products while inspecting and testing imported food products in Pier 7A on Monday night.
A follow-up statement from the bureau yesterday later confirmed that the products involved a pallet of 24 plastic crates of yoghurt products weighing 201.6 kilogrammes.
A contingency plan was immediately carried out, with measures such as tracing and investigation, as well as re-testing being immediately undertaken, the statement added. The information of those who came in contact with the products were also submitted to health authorities for investigation and follow-up.
In line with the contingency plan, the statement noted that the bureau conducted follow-up measures, immediately sealed the cold-chain products concerned and destroyed them.
Samples were also taken from the packaging of other products that were in the same shipping container for testing, while the surroundings were thoroughly disinfected.
The follow-up statement noted that 51 samples of external packaging were collected and tested, with “no abnormalities” found in the test results.
The bureau also urged both the public and businesses to enhance cleaning and disinfection of the packaging of imported food products. Moreover, in order to adopt “disease prevention measures”, as well as to “prevent imported cases”, the statement also reminded the public to wash their hands frequently after touching imported products sold in places such as supermarkets.
The statement added that the cleaning and disinfection of imported fruit and cold-chain products’ packaging have been enhanced, while the samples collected for random testing have been also increased. On average, the packaging of around 100,000 boxes of refrigerated food is disinfected each week and staff involved in cold-chain food product processing must undergo an NAT every 48 hours.
A similar incident involving the packaging of a batch of refrigerated milk imported from Hong Kong occurred late last month. The packaging also tested positive for COVID-19.
This undated handout photo provided by the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) shows the vehicle used to transport the dairy products being disinfected.
This undated handout photo provided by the bureau yesterday shows the products the wrapping film of which tested positive for COVID-19 being unloaded from the vehicle.
