A sample taken from the outer side of a packaging of imported frozen beef tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Liangshan County, east China's Shandong Province, local authorities said on Friday.

The products and vehicles used for transportation have been sealed off, they said.

A thorough disinfection operation is underway on the related company and its surrounding environment. And all those people found of close contacts have been quarantined and the following nucleic acid tests have all returned nagative results, according to local authorites.