Coronavirus Outbreak Rumour Causes Panic in Bareilly After Woman Admitted to Isolation Ward
Panic gripped resident of Bareilly city after a rumour that a local woman is infected with coronavirus spread on social media.
Bareilly, February 4: Panic gripped resident of Bareilly city after a rumour that a local woman is infected with coronavirus spread on WhatsApp and other social media platforms. The coronavirus outbreak rumour started after the 55-year-old, who was hospitalised due to fever and blood pressure, was shifted to an isolation ward. In a bid to dispel the misinformation, authorities on Monday issued a clarification that the woman was not infected with the coronavirus. Coronavirus Turns People Into Zombies? Malaysia's Health Ministry Dispels 'Walking Dead' Rumour.
The woman returned to Bareilly from Dubai on January 27 and was admitted to a private hospital on February 1 after she complained of fever and blood pressure. She was shifted to the isolation ward as part of a precautionary measure. Some people shared a picture of her in the isolation ward on social media with the false claim that she was a suspected patient of coronavirus. As the picture went viral, authorities issued a clarification, dismissing the rumour. Coronavirus Outbreak: Conspiracy Theories Floating on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp About Deadly Virus Spread.
"When the patient was in Dubai, she had fever. As a precautionary measure, we kept her in the isolation ward. However, when we examined her, we found that she had high blood pressure and heart failure. She had no symptoms related to coronavirus. We had informed the health department. Someone clicked a picture of the isolation ward and circulated it on WhatsApp, stating that the patient is a suspected case of nCoV, which is wrong," Dr Somesh Mehrotra, who treated her, told Times of India.
Subsequently, additional chief medical officer Dr Ranjan Gautam made it clear that no suspected case of coronavirus was reported in Bareilly. The woman, who was later shifted to Lucknow for better treatment, has died, according to latest reports. The deadly virus has so far claimed over 400 lives in China. Indian citizens returning from China are being tested for coronavirus infection.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 04, 2020 11:27 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).