COVID-19 Vaccine Turning Patients into Zombies? Fact-Check Proves Viral Image is Morphed

New Delhi, December 27: A screenshot with the logo of news channel CNN reporting that COVID-19 vaccination is turning people into 'man eating' Zombies is going viral on social media platforms. It shows an image of a hospital room with blood spilled all over the floor with the caption ' Breaking News: Hospital On Lockdown As First Covid Vaccine Patient Starts Eating Other Patient' written on it. However, image shown and the claim made in the screenshot are both fake. It seems like an attempt create panic amid the COVID-19 vaccine roll out.

The screenshot posted by  Kazo Television  on December 18, 2020 on Facebook, is making rounds of Twitter too. However, it has been busted as fake news by India Today. According to the report, the picture used in the screenshot is old and related to the treatment of gunshot victims in North Philadelphia, US. It was published along with a report on February 14, 2019 by The New York Times, following the shooting in North Philadelphia. Barack Obama, Former US President, Did Not Snub PM Narendra Modi on Twitter Over Farmers' Protest; Fact-Check Debunks Fake News Spread Through Morphed Image.

See the Viral Post Here: 

The image was captioned, "The trauma bay in the emergency department at Temple University Hospital after resuscitation efforts failed," and has been credited to Eric Curran, a medical student. In the article, Curran has described the heart-wrenching experience of handling and treating the gunshot victims. RBI Has Directed Banks to Print ‘Gita Saar’ on Last Page of the Passbook of All Account Holders? PIB Fact Check Reveals Truth Behind Fake Post.

There had been no reports by CNN claiming that COVID-19 vaccine turns people into zombies. The viral screenshot was however found posted on a meme website called 'ifunny'. A user who goes with the username 'flabbyankle' had reportedly shared the viral picture on this website recently.

In all likelihood a meme created out of the 'Temple University Hospital' picture and posted on meme website was later shared on social media where many believed it to be true and circulated widely owing to the fear and suspicion looming on COVID-19 outbreak.

The viral screenshot also had a caption reading 'Nancy Pelsoi arrested for DIU.' However this claim is again fake. Baseless claims about Nancy's arrest and getting drunk were circulated earlier as well. Several websites like Politifact and Tampa Bay Times had debunked it earlier.

In conclusion there are no reports about COVID-19 vaccine turning people into flesh eating Zombies. the image is morphed and the claim is fake and baseless.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 27, 2020 01:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).