China says virus tests negative on seafood in Beijing coronavirus outbreak

June 19 (UPI) -- An inspection of more than 30,000 samples of produce, seafood and meat imported from overseas found no cases of coronavirus contamination, according to Chinese authorities.

China's General Administration of Customs said Friday on its website Chinese customs collected 32,174 samples of food products but all tests for the virus were negative.

The official disclosure from Beijing comes after China decided to ban all European imports of salmon and salmon products following the latest outbreak in the nation's capital.

China continues to claim the most recent coronavirus originated from Europe, citing newly released genetic sequences.

"The results of preliminary genetic sequencing research show that this virus came from Europe...but is older than the viruses currently circulating in Europe," said Zhang Yong, an assistant director with China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday, according to the Financial Times.

Local Chinese media reported earlier this week the coronavirus was detected on chopping boards used for imported salmon at Xinfadi Wholesale Market, one of Beijing's major distributors of seafood.

Bai Ming, deputy director of the Ministry of Commerce's International Market Research Institute, said it is "necessary to be cautious about seafood in situations where more understanding is needed."

China's measures are "not aimed at a specific country," Bai said.

Confusion about the origins of the virus prevails in China, however.

China's State Council said in a statement on "preventing summer epidemics in low-risk areas" that the general population should avoid "washing raw meat or fish under a running faucet."

The official statement said the virus could potentially "splash" and spread to people. Chinese social media users are asking whether the instructions mean meat or fish are unsafe, or they are safe unless they are washed.

The outbreak in Beijing has spread to other areas of China.

Provincial authorities in Hebei, Liaoning, Sichuan and Henan have all reported cases of the virus in connection to Xinfadi Market.