'Chinese Health Authorities Confirm Patient Zero Had Sex With Bats'; Fake News Goes Viral, Here's The Fact Check

As Coronavirus pandemic continues, there is a flow of information about the topic which is being widely shared on social media. It includes both real and fakes news. During such tough times, it is important to differentiate between the wrong and right news. The latest fake news which is being forwarded says that 'patient zero' contracted coronavirus as he had sex with bats. The news was posted by World News Daily Report (WNDR) which is a satirical fake news website. However, people are sharing the story believing the person, in reality, caught the deadly disease as he had sex with six bats. The headline of the report in World News Daily Report reads: "COVID-19: CHINESE HEALTH AUTHORITIES CONFIRM PATIENT ZERO HAD SEX WITH BATS." Fact Check: 'Pakistan Patient Recovers From Coronavirus, Throws Party to 100 People, Tested Positive Again' Fake News Goes Viral, Here's The Truth.

The report also has an alleged quote by the father of 'patient zero'. The report states, "Yin Dao Tang, 24, from the province of Hubei, is the first case of the novel coronavirus that emerged on November 17, according to Chinese government data. Tang is believed to have contracted the disease after indulging in sexual acts with several animals, including bats."

According to Wikipedia, World News Daily Report (WNDR) is a satirical fake news website purporting to be an American Jewish Zionist newspaper based in Tel Aviv and dedicated to covering biblical archaeology news and other mysteries around the Globe. WNDR's tagline states "Where facts don't matter" however, people don't seem to be concerned about the authenticity of the website or the information. It is important to note that one should verify every bit of information before sharing it on social media, especially during such terrible times.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 29, 2020 10:50 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).