New Delhi, June 2: A message in which it is claimed that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has called coronavirus a "seasonal virus" is going viral on popular messaging app WhatsApp. It is also claimed in the viral message that the WHO has said there is no need to isolate COVID-19 patient and maintain social distancing in public. Coronavirus does not transmit from one patient to another, reads the message. COVID-19 Is a Bacteria and Not Virus That Causes Thrombosis and Can Be Cured With Aspirin? PIB Fact Check Reveals The Truth.

The viral message reads: "WHO has admitted its mistake. Taking a complete U-turn, it has said that coronavirus is a seasonal virus. There is no need to worry about cough, cold and throat pain caused by change in weather. WHO now says there is no need to send COVID-19 patient in isolation and the general public doesn't need to maintain social distancing. Coronavirus does not spread from one patient to another person." Indian Govt Providing Free Internet Facility to 100 Million Users for 3 Months? PIB Fact Check Reveals Truth Behind Viral WhatsApp Message.

These claims are fake. PIB Fact Check, a dedicated platform that counters misinformation related to government schemes and policies, has confirmed that WHO has not made any such statement and it is important to take preventive steps. "COVID-19 is an infectious disease and it is vital to adopt COVID-appropriate behaviour," read a tweet by PIB Fact Check.

PIB Fact Check Debunks Fake Claims on Coronavirus:

Last year, the same fake message with a minor change had gone viral on social media. It was then claimed that WHO called coronavirus a "treatable" flu. Social media platforms are flooded with misinformation and fake news about coronavirus. Readers are advised to follow official websites of the government to verify claims.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 02, 2021 03:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).