Novel coronavirus can survive for a long time under freezing conditions: Official

Sufficient evidence has suggested that the novel coronavirus can be transmitted from objects to human beings and survive for a long time under freezing conditions, Luan Xin, a deputy mayor of Qingdao City in east China's Shandong Province, said on Tuesday.

Luan made the remarks at a press briefing on the coastal city's epidemic prevention and control work.

Another official told the press briefing that Qingdao will conduct nucleic acid testing of all imported cold-chain products as well as personnel engaged in loading, unloading, handling and transporting of imported cold-chain food in areas such as ports and cold storages every three to five days. 

For other workers who have direct contact with imported cold-chain food, nucleic acid tests will be carried out every seven days, said Chen Wansheng, an official with the municipal government, adding that tests will also be conducted at ports, cold storages and other places.  

Last week, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the detection and isolation of living novel coronavirus on the outer packaging of imported frozen cod in Qingdao during an investigation to trace the source of the recent infections.