Traces of the coronavirus were discovered on a chopping board for imported salmon at Xinfadi market. — Reuters
“Why do these places become the centre of transmission? The temperature is low, which is suitable for virus survival, and the humidity is high. But further investigation is needed, ” said Dr Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist at the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, at a daily briefing on Thursday, June 18.
The findings from Xinfadi and Wuhan’s Huanan market provide “a new direction for solving this mystery”, said Dr Wu, who added that infected seafood vendors in Xinfadi had developed symptoms earlier than the rest. But health officials also said there is no evidence that salmon could be a virus carrier, and the outbreak was likely caused by human transmission and contaminated surfaces or goods.