The 'fake news' of the coronavirus outbreak
More than 6,000 people worldwide are currently infected with a new virus called Coronavirus. The first person infected was detected in December 2019 in China. Now, the virus has begun to spread to other countries; including various areas in Europe and the United States.
The number of deaths has reached 170 so far, and the WHO has declared a global state of emergency after holding several meetings to determine the severity of the situation.
Whenever a new type of virus threatens the human population, it is normal that a certain amount of social alarm is triggered. This was already the case with influenza A, which became extinct in 2010, and claimed 18 000 human lives. However, it should be noted that the common seasonal influenza, caused by the influenza virus, kills between 290 000 and 650 000 people worldwide every year.
It is therefore worth asking whether such scaremongering is justified. At least until the health authorities establish a state of emergency.
Moreover, in this type of alert, there is an added problem: when a global news item generates so much generalised stress, it is common to hear about missing news, unconfirmed information and rumours... or otherwise known as fake news.
Here are some of the strangest news that are circulating:
Coronavirus is cured with bleach
This is one of the most surprising fake news that has spread in recent days around the news of the coronavirus.
The apparent basis for this dangerous hoax lies in a liquid containing chlorine dioxide and sodium chloride (the chemical components of industrial disinfectants), which would be sold as a supposed "elixir of life". The product in question is marketed as Miracle Mineral Supplement (MMS) or 20-20-20 spray. But, in addition, this liquid is presented as capable of curing almost any type of disease (AIDS, cancer, Crohn's disease). This company has been facing numerous legal problems for years.
Coronavirus will wipe out humanity
We already know that human beings love a good apocalypse. Since the coronavirus is a new virus, and potentially fatal in some cases, it is only natural that both WHO and governments establish strict health protocols, such as quarantine measures, as a means of precaution.
But we should not forget that coronaviruses are the same viruses as cause common colds, and that the people who are at risk of suffering serious complications (or even death) are children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with depressed immune systems, or who already have some kind of respiratory condition that the virus itself is aggravating. Pneumonia is what is, roughly speaking, killing just under two hundred patients who have died so far from the coronavirus.
However, to be on the safe side, it is advisable to try to avoid spreading it by coughing or sneezing into a tissue or into the sleeve of clothes that are to be washed.
The coronavirus is a laboratory experiment designed to kill
There are hypotheses circulating (not based on any data or evidence) that this new virus is produced in some laboratory in Canada to be voluntarily inoculated into the population and then destroyed.
The fact that a new potentially deadly virus has been discovered, and that it is spreading rapidly in different parts of the world, deserves, of course, our attention and that the authorities are directing their efforts towards understanding and preventing its effects on the population.
How to identify false news?
In order to learn to differentiate whether we are dealing with false news or not, it is not enough to just use common sense. When fake news isn’t as crazy as curing a virus with bleach, it can be very convincing so active reading is recommended when reading the news.
You must always identify the source of the information, which must be a scientific authority or a specialised body. If you read an article where you can’t identify the source of the media organisation which has published the article, then it’s time to be suspicious of what you’re reading.
