Claim: Half of the UK’s imported Covid-19 cases are from Pakistan. Fact: The majority of imported Covid-19 cases in the UK are from European countries. Soch Fact Check received a screenshot of an article published on The Telegraph for verification on Whatsapp. The article’s headline stated that half of the United Kingdom’s imported Covid 19 […]
Claim: A viral message forwarded on Whatsapp shared pictures allegedly from a Pakistani mall and warned potential mall-goers that the mould in the pictures could cause serious respiratory infections. Fact: The pictures are from a Malaysian store called Metrojaya in Kuala Lampur, not a Pakistani mall. The pictures were originally posted to Facebook by the […]
Claim: Walk-through disinfection gates kill the virus that causes Covid-19 and helps restrict its transmission. Fact: Spraying water, chlorine (bleach) and alcohol over the body does not prevent the spread of Covid-19. In the earliest stages of the pandemic, various methods of discouraging the spread of the virus had been put in place by local […]
Claim: You should wear a surgical mask every time you step out of the house to restrict the spread of COVID-19. Fact: You can wear any kind of mask as long as it covers your mouth and nose. As we learn more about the Covid-19 virus, we get a clearer idea of how to take […]
Claim: COVID-19 can be contracted through inanimate objects. Fact: The novel coronavirus does not survive for long on surfaces. The rapid spread of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus has convinced a lot of people that they can contract COVID-19 through inanimate objects as well as through direct contact with humans. Many have taken to social media […]
CLAIM: According to viral posts shared on Facebook and Twitter, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has been ranked 4th best in the world and 2nd best in Asia by the World Health Organization for timely measures taken to combat COVID-19. FACT: WHO Country Representative in Pakistan Dr Palitha Gunarathna Mahipala praised the governments timely […]
Claim: COVID-19 can only be transmitted through people who are showing symptoms. Fact: Those who contract the virus can also infect others while showing no symptoms themselves. On March 1st, the US Secretary of Health and Human Services, Alex Azer said on ABC News that asymptomatic spread is not a major driver of the novel […]
Claim: COVID-19 cannot be transmitted in areas with hot and humid climate. Fact: The World Health Organisation and numerous infectious diseases specialists state that COVID-19 can indeed be transmitted in hot climates. Recently, there have been rumours that claim that the 2019 Novel Coronavirus, or COVID-19, is a seasonal virus, which means that the reason […]
Claim: Drinking lots of water and gargling a mixture of warm water, vinegar and salt can eliminate COVID-19. Fact: There is no evidence to support this claim. Don’t believe everything your uncle sends to the family WhatsApp group! There has been an outpouring of misinformation and disinformation after the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in […]
CLAIM: A Whatsapp message went viral, claiming 25 students at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) are suspected to have contracted the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) by sharing a flight with 15 confirmed COVID-19 patients. FACT: No confirmed COVID-19 cases were present on the flight. All LUMS students on the flight in question have […]
CLAIM: Based on an anonymous tip, a Facebook page with 93,000 followers posted an alleged witness account claiming there are 745 registered cases of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi. FACT: According to the World Health Organisation, the most reliable source for information regarding confirmed cases of COVID-19, there […]
CLAIM: Everyone should wear N95 or surgical masks at all times to protect themselves from getting infected by coronavirus (COVID-19). FACT: Unless you are caring for someone infected with COVID-19, you do not need an N95 mask. You should only wear a surgical mask if you are coughing or sneezing, or if you are in […]