Indonesia halts exports from seafood producer after virus tests

Indonesia has suspended exports from an Indonesian seafood company PT Putri Indah into China after its frozen fish products tested positive for the coronavirus, the country's fisheries ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

The ministry said that an investigation was underway and that the suspension would only apply to PT Putri Indah "whereas the others can still do export activities as usual."

The virus was detected on the outermost side of the package, not on the fish, the ministry said.

The seven-day suspension began on Friday, it said.

A person in charge of marketing, answering a number listed for PT Putri Indah, hung up the phone without replying.

China's General Administration of Customs said on Friday that it would stop accepting import applications from PT Putri Indah for one week after a batch of frozen hairtail fish from the company tested positive for the coronavirus.

China customs said on Sept. 11 it would halt imports from companies for a week if their frozen products tested positive a first or second time for the coronavirus.