Multiple posts on China’s popular messaging mobile app, WeChat and Twitter-like-microblogging site, Weibo wrongly claim that there is coronavirus outbreak in India as well, with southern Indian state Kerala being badly hit by the virus.
By Qian Sun
One particular post is going viral since Feb 11 on WeChat and Weibo. The post’s simplified Chinese-language caption translates to English as: “Breaking News! COVID-19 Outbreak in Southern India, more than 3000 in quarantine, may seek help from US or China.”
Below are the screenshots of the misleading WeChat post:
The viral post on WeChat quoted “India media” without naming the exact publication, saying that 15 Indian nationals returned to India from Wuhan on February 7. In 4 days only, several thousands were put under watch by the authorities and several dozens have been confirmed with infections, including many that might be infected but still in the incubation period.
The article further wrongly claims that India’s health department will extend the quarantine to 28 days, because they obtained the new data from China that the pneumonia virus can have an incubation period of up to 24 days.
The claim is misleading; the health authorities in Kerala say only three positive cases were reported in the state. India’s first novel coronavirus case was reported from Thrissur in Kerala with a woman medical student from Wuhan testing positive. She had returned to Kerala on January 24.The state government had quickly declared Coronavirus infection as a state calamity for effective steps to contain its spread however it was later withdrawn as no fresh positive cases were found.
Kerala Health Minister KK Shylaja has said that three people with coronavirus are now stable including a student from Wuhan University who has been discharged from the isolation ward of the Alappuzha Medical College hospital.Till date, only 24 people are under monitoring in designated facilities in Kerala and while as some 2,431 people have been placed under surveillance at home. A total of 24 results of samples have been received from the National Virology Institute, Pune but none of them has turned out to be positive.
The viral post also says being located close to sea, Kerala is a hot place and therefore new coronavirus won’t survive for so long in warmer conditions and also it claimed that Indians think they have a better immune system. “But judging the situation now, it seems that the virus is stronger beyond our imagination and there will be a huge outbreak in India in the following days,” reads one of the posts on WeChat.
People on social media are expressing excessive anxiety and panic in China about situation in India as well.
