Samples collected from the external packaging of a batch of mangoes imported from Taiwan region tested positive for the novel coronavirus nucleic acid yesterday (1 July). The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) immediately initiated the contingency plan, and sealed the 5 boxes of affected mangoes weighing a total of 50 kilogrammes. The products concerned have not entered the market and are to be destroyed. IAM suspended the application for import from the brand concerned for one week starting from today.
This is the second time in three days that mangoes imported from Taiwan tested positive for novel coronavirus nucleic acid. IAM has always referenced the national technical standards regarding sample testing of cold-chain food products for novel coronavirus nucleic acid and strictly implemented measures for “thorough disinfection of the external packaging and thorough testing of the internal packaging” of goods. So far, cold-chain and dairy products imported from Argentina, Poland, Vietnam, Indonesia and Hong Kong and their external and internal packaging have successively tested positive for novel coronavirus nucleic acid. The implementation of these measures is aimed at protecting the public of Macao from novel coronavirus infection and is not targeted at any country or region.
IAM will continue to strictly implement the pandemic prevention policy of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, persevere in guarding against the virus at the import level, closely inspect goods such as cold-chain food products and fruit in need of sanitary inspection and carry out inspections and testing for pandemic prevention, so as to make every effort to lower the risk of the virus entering Macao and take on the responsibility to safeguard the health of the public of Macao.
IAM has carried out thorough disinfection of the surrounding environment where the affected goods have been stored, and information about individuals who have come into contact with the goods has been provided to the health authorities for investigation and follow-up. IAM has continuously requested business firms to strengthen the cleaning and disinfection of the external packaging of imported food products and urged the public to wash their hands frequently, so as to make efforts to prevent the pandemic together.
Since the outbreak of this wave of the pandemic, IAM has continued to strengthen the cleaning and disinfection of the external packaging of imported cold-chain food products and fruit. An average of about 100,000 boxes of goods are disinfected every week. IAM has also increased the number of samples collected from food subject to inspection for sample testing, and about 55,000 samples have been collected and tested since January. Furthermore, individuals involved in the cold-chain food trade are required to be tested for novel coronavirus once every 48 hours in accordance with the pandemic prevention guidelines of the Health Bureau.