PETALING JAYA: "Whole chicken" samples taken from the poultry processing factory in Pedas, Negeri Sembilan, where several workers were infected with Covid-19, tested negative for the virus.
The Veterinary Services Department said the tests were carried out after health authorities had confirmed that several workers in the factory had tested positive for Covid-19.
"Tests to detect the Covid-19 virus were carried out using rt-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) method.
"The results obtained on May 9 showed that all the samples tested negative for the virus," the veterinary department said in a statement.
On May 8, the Health Ministry announced that several workers from the poultry processing factory in Pedas had been infected and ordered the factory to shut down operations from May 7 to May 20.
According to the veterinary department, the factory had been awarded “Veterinary Health Mark (VHM) certification since 2008.
"We also wish to inform that through scientific studies carried out by various agencies and international institutions, including the University of Macau and the Paris-based World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), it has been proven that cows, goats, pigs and chickens do not spread Covid-19 virus to humans," its statement read.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) had on April 7 reported that it was highly unlikely for people to contract Covid-19 from food and food packaging.
WHO and FAO also affirmed that the coronavirus could not multiply in food.
United States-based University of Georgia published an article on March 23 affirming that Covid-19 virus was not associated with poultry or poultry products.
The veterinary department said people did not need not worry about consuming poultry. - Star
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