New Delhi: There is no scientific evidence to show that coronavirus spreads through eating chicken, mutton and seafood, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) chief GSG Ayyangar said Thursday and asserted that the virus would not survive in higher temperature.
“It is basically an animal virus. Let us leave it to scientists to figure out how it has been transmitted…however, ours is a tropical country and once the temperature crosses 35-36 degrees celsius, no virus will survive. Let us pray to God that winter ends and temperature rises,” Ayyangar told reporters here.
“There is a misconception that coronavirus will spread through chicken, mutton and seafood. There is nothing like that. It is scientifically not proven. I am a scientist, I will not buy this argument,” Ayyangar added.
Ayyangar, who was earlier with Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), said it is a matter of time that vaccine for coronavirus will be developed as India has a good track of handling viruses.
“Whether it is Ebola virus or Avian flu, we have handled them very well. It is a matter of time. We have to take precaution. We have to be on our toes,” said the FSSAI chief.
“The government is making all efforts to isolate the virus. Once we are able to isolate it, then it takes some time to find a vaccine to counter the virus,” Ayyangar said at an event organised by Assocham.
Poultry breeders demanded March 2 a relief package from the government claiming that the sector has incurred heavy losses of around Rs 1,750 crore in a month due to fake news that eating chicken could spread coronavirus.
Poultry bird prices have plunged to Rs 10-30 per kg at farm gate level due to a slump in chicken demand while the average cost of production is Rs 80 per kilogram, the All India Poultry Breeders Association had said in a representation to the Ministry of Animal Husbandry.
PTI
