GUWAHATI: Consumption of non-vegetarian food or eggs does not cause the Coronavirus infection, according to Director, AIIMS, Delhi, Dr Randeep Guleria.
"As common healthcare precaution, all kinds of meat should be thoroughly washed and properly cooked," said the AIIMS Director.
Dr Guleria said if a coronavirus-affected individual lives in a residential society, the other members living in the society would not, in all likelihood, get affected as long as they don't get in touch with the affected individual.
The AIIMS Director also said that consumption of clove (laung) and other herbs does not offer any guarantee against the coronavirus infection.
"The impact of the virus is as serious in hot-humid weather conditions of Singapore as in the colder environment of European countries," he added.
The virus was initially reported in Wuhan, China in 2019. Going by the definition given by WHO coronaviruses are zoonotic which means that they are transmitted between animals and people. After this news, people started hesitating in buying meat and seafood which led to a huge drop in meat and fish markets worldwide. Guwahatians also became reluctant in consuming meat and seafood.
Speaking to G Plus, president of Guwahati Meat Association, Muslim Ali said that since the past 10 days meat market has been down. “Our business has completely dropped. People have suddenly stopped buying meat after the coronavirus outbreak. It will get worse in the coming days,” said Ali.
“Meat prices have also gone down. It was Rs 700 per kg but now it is Rs 650 per kg. If it continues to go like this then we have to think of some alternate business to feed ourselves and our family,” Ali added.
Not just mutton, sale of chicken has also dipped. Arizul Rahman, who owns a chicken shop in Kumarpara told G Plus, “Earlier we would sell 90-100 kilograms per day but since the past 10-15 days sales have dropped drastically. Now, per day we sell just 30-40 kilograms.”
“Prices of chicken have also dipped. We used to sell it for Rs 100 per kilogram but now we are selling for Rs 70 per kilogram. I think we will soon have to shut our shop and look for some other business,” Rahman added.
