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A respiratory disease belonging to the coronavirus family, COVID-19, which started in Wuhan, China has as of March 24, 2020, spread to 195 countries.

The disease has affected over 375,498 people and claimed over 16,362 lives globally. The hardest-hit countries have been China, Italy, United States of America, Spain and Germany.

Ghana’s index cases of the COVID-19 were announced on March 12, 2020, and has since risen to 68. Two deaths have been recorded.

In the wake of the fast-spreading Covid-19, a lot of misinformation about the disease is being bandied around, particularly on social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter. One central area of misinformation has been on a cure for the coronavirus.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says there is currently no specific treatment, drug or vaccine for the COVID-19. Patients are treated based on signs and symptoms exhibited. This has however not prevented the spread of misinformation around cures or treatment.

DUBAWA and fact-checkers around the world have looked into hundreds of these claims and found most of them to be false.

Here is an overview of some of the most popular coronavirus cures in Ghana.

Chloroquine and Hydroxyl chloroquine are Covid-19 cures

Chloroquine and its counterpart, hydroxyl chloroquine, has been all the rage following reports that it has shown some promise in curing the coronavirus. The position of the United States’ President, Donald Trump, that the drugs have shown “tremendous promise” and could be a “game-changer” has sent many stocking up on the drugs. Media reports indicate people have overdosed on the drugs and have had to receive medical treatment following these claims.

Contrarily, there is no definitive proof that the drugs can cure or are effective against Covid-19.

Indeed, there have been studies which suggest the drugs are ‘potential’ cures. However, these studies are not conclusive – they have drawbacks. One such research by the Méditerranée Infection University Hospital Institute in Marseille admits that their study’s limitation includes “a small sample size, limited long-term outcome follow-up, and drop out of six patients from the study.”

On Mr Trump’s validation of chloroquine, he had said the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has approved the drug to treat coronavirus. The FDA said it has not. The authority issued a statement saying it is still studying its effectiveness against the disease.

Dettol is effective against the Covid-19

This claim has been shared extensively on social media platforms such as WhatsApp, not just in Ghana but in other parts of the world.

It came with an image of a Dettol bottle with the word ‘coronavirus’ circled; emphasising the antiseptic’s ability to deal with Covid-19.

The manufacturer of the Dettol,  Reckitt Benckiser Group plc(RB), says it has not yet tested its products on the novel coronavirus. Therefore, it could not confirm whether Dettol is effective against the new coronavirus strain.

“Our products have been tested against other coronaviruses (such as MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV) and have been found to kill those. Although 2019-nCoV is a new strain, this virus is very similar to other coronaviruses. We continue to work with our partners to ensure that we have the latest understanding of the virus, route of transmission and will test our product range once health authorities make the strain available,” the producers of Dettol said.

Garlic prevents coronavirus

WhatsApp and Facebook have been awashed with this claim.

There is no scientific evidence to suggest that garlic can cure or prevent Covid-19. Although garlic has shown potential benefits in treating certain conditions, it is categorised by health experts as a food supplement and not medicine. Misuse of garlic would rather result in health complications ranging from bad odour to heartburns.

Drinking alcohol e.g. akpeteshie kills the virus; also a good substitute for hand sanitisers

Following a shortage of hand sanitizers around the world, people are devising alternative ways of disinfection and sterilisation. Some have claimed that alcoholic bitters or spirits, in Ghana, the popular ‘akpeteshie’ can serve as a good substitute for hand sanitisers.

This claim has been debunked by health experts. Alcoholic bitters and spirits on the market have between 40 – 50 per cent alcohol content. This is according to the WHO and the Centre for Plant Medicine Research. An effective hand sanitiser must have 60-70 per cent alcohol content.

Also, drinking alcohol will not kill the virus. Mr Roger Ahiable, a Deputy Director of Pharmaceutical Services, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, tells Dubawa: “Consumption of alcohol by mouth cannot disinfect viral colonies in the respiratory system,” he said.

“We shouldn’t cause other systematic damages by alcohol consumption while trying to prevent infection. It is not wise. It will eventually damage the immune strength of the consumer,” he adds.

Gargling with saline solution can eliminate the coronavirus

A viral image shared on Facebook claimed gargling with saline solution or vinegar solution will eliminate the coronavirus.

This has been debunked by fact-checkers. Gargling with saline solution may be helpful in soothing sore throat, one of the symptoms of the coronavirus. In fact, NHS recommends gargling with warm saline water for adults suffering from sore throats. However, there is no evidence that it kills the virus.

Indeed, the WHO, in its Q&A about coronavirus on twitter debunked a similar question of whether gargling mouthwash can protect one from COVID-19.

Used clothes can transmit coronavirus

“It would be better now and for your safety and that of your children to avoid the use of newly acquired used clothing.” This quote is an excerpt from a viral WhatsApp message. The text warns readers to be cautious when shopping for clothes, and not get used garments amid the pandemic. The author believes that clothes of index victims are being discarded and sold to Africans.

There is no sufficient evidence to support this claim. While health experts have not ascertained the exact length of time COVID-19 stays active on fabrics, the WHO suggests a low probability of infection via package delivery. This rationale holds as studies show environmental changes and time affect the activeness of COVID-19; all of which are present in shipping clothing from another country.

Adutwumwaa Bitters cure for Coronavirus

This claim was shared mainly on Twitter.

For some who may have seen this claim, it was a joke and not worth the time of fact-checkers. However, in an era where there is a lot of uncertainty, claims or jokes like this may be taken out of context.

Producers of the medicine, Adumtwumwaa Herbal Industries Limited, have emphatically stated that their product cannot and does not cure the deadly virus.

A simple guide to help you sort fact from fiction

1. Pause and reflect before forwarding or sharing a message especially if it makes you scared, anxious or angry.  Fake news creators often want traffic to their sites and they know they can get you to help if they play on your emotions.
2. Look out for the source of information. Ask whoever sent you the message, ‘where is this from?’ if a source is not cited. If it is, is it a credible, authoritative source?
3. Verify or crosscheck with credible sources. Note that if it is true, it is likely to be reported by credible media outfits. For information on coronavirus, your best bet is the World Health Organisation, Ghana Health Service, reputable media outfits and fact-checkers.

For more on coronavirus, visit https://ghana.dubawa.org/tag/coronavirus/

Controversies surrounding Chloroquine suggest health authorities approved it as a cure for Covid-19.

Foremost health authorities, WHO, FDA and CDC and the likes have not approved Chloroquine as a treatment for Covid-19. 

Full Text

The United States President, Donald Trump on 19th of March publicly declared Chloroquine as the long-awaited cure for the disease covid-19. Donald Trump went further to state that the Food and Drug Administration approved the anti-malaria drug.

“The nice part is, it’s been around for a long time, so we know that if things don’t go as planned, it’s not going to kill anybody”

President Donald J Trump

Following the US President’s big reveal, netizens now contest prior reports that suggested Chloroquine was not a cure for covid-19.

Furthermore, death report and overdose intake of the viral drug chloroquine has been all over the internet since President’s Trump’s proclamation.

So far, this pronouncement by President Trump has caused more harm than good.

Verification:

Neither the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) nor the World Health Organisation (WHO) approved Chloroquine as the cure for Covid-19. There are currently no FDA-approved treatment or vaccines for novel coronavirus of December 2019. 

Further, the FDA has made it clear that it neither approved Chloroquine nor treatment with the drug for those infected with Covid-19. Moreover, it has not approved any therapeutics or medicines to treat, cure or prevent Covid-19. 

In a report by Premium Times, the Minister of Health Osagie Ehanire said Nigeria had not approved the use of Chloroquine the treatment of coronavirus in the country. The Minister of health further reiterated that health authorities are yet to prove Chloroquine’s efficacy gainst Covid-19.

He also stated that Nigerian would not adhere to the recommendations of US president, Donald Trump; instead, they will follow the guidelines and instructions as provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Nonetheless, the anti-malarial drug Chloroquine is in FDA approved clinical trials; similarly, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administrative control, NAFDAC is reportedly conducting Chloroquine drug trials.

Chloroquine Abuse

Shortly after Trump’s Chloroquine big reveal, reports on social media and print suggest drug abuse from Chloroquine and even one death.

Forbes reported of a man who died in Arizona, trying to immunise himself from Covid-19. Supposedly, they (the man and his wife) used the version (Chloroquine) meant for cleaning fish tanks resulting in his demise and his wife in critical condition.

Additionally, in Nigeria, there are reports of Chloroquine poisoning. 

Chloroquine and Covid-19

Few Chinese doctors have reported success in utilising the anti-malaria drug in solving covid-19 cases. But, is this enough clinical evidence? Certainly NOT! Health experts still need more trials and tests before passing off Chloroquine as a Covid-19 treatment. 

Meanwhile, CNN reportedly makes the WHO’s stance on all this clear. 

“The WHO’s position is clear. Any medication should be based on evidence. We don’t have yet any evidence from any of these trials that would allow WHO to do a formal recommendation. All these are in progress, so it is difficult for us to recommend at this stage that any of the medicine can be of use for the treatment of coronavirus“

Dr Michel Yao, Africa emergency response program manager for the World Health Organisation.

Conclusion

Unarguably, President Trump has made Chloroquine a wanted commodity. Still, it is in trials, and until proven otherwise, we advise against unprescribed consumption of Chloroquine. It is NOT going to cure, treat, prevent, immunise, or fight Covid-19.

Viral WhatsApp message advises against purchasing used clothing as they expose buyers to COVID-19.

While health experts have not ascertained the exact length of time COVID-19 stays active on fabrics, the WHO suggests a low probability of infection via package delivery. This rationale holds as studies show environmental changes and time affect the activeness of COVID-19; all of which are present in shipping clothing from another country. Furthermore, the assertion is not feasible as most countries with index cases have placed forms of travel and trade restriction.

Full Text

“It would be better now and for your safety and that of your children to avoid the use of newly acquired used clothing.” The quote mentioned above is an excerpt from a WhatsApp message we received last week. The text warns readers to be cautious when shopping for clothes; to get new and not used garments amid the pandemic. The author believes that clothes of index victims are being discarded and sold to Africans.

It further advises readers to share the message as much as possible to get to other people. While this message seems almost logical, a sceptical mind wonders how reasonable its inferences are. Let’s move away from speculations and find out what the facts hold.

Verification

Firstly, the World Health Organization (WHO) states that a carrier of COVID-19 can infect another person through droplets from either sneezing or coughing; the other is at risk if said droplets touch eyes, nose or mouth.

From this, we understand that a person can not contract COVID-19 by merely touching infected surfaces and objects, but by putting the contaminated hand in his mouth, nose or eyes.

How long does the virus stay on surfaces and the objects they infect?

The next logical verification step is ascertaining the viruses “shelf life” on surfaces. For this, several pieces of research surmise different durations ranging from hours to days. Further, the WHO suggests COVID-19 behaves similar to other coronaviruses in that factors like the type of surface, temperature and humidity play a role in the duration of its viability, post transmission.

A BBC publication spoke to this fact. The report referenced studies which show that SARS, MERS, and other coronaviruses without disinfection, can survive on metal, glass and plastic for as long as nine days. The article further added that in low temperatures, some of the viruses could remain for 28 days.

The column also refers to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine which compares the stability of SARS-COV-1 and SARS-COV-2 in five environmental conditions (aerosols, plastic, stainless steel, copper, and cardboard).

From the research work, BBC deduced that COVID-19 could survive in droplets for up to three hours after being coughed out into the air but goes extinct on copper after four hours. The virus can live longer on cardboard – up to 24 hours – and up to 2-3 days on plastic and stainless-steel surfaces.

Unanswered questions and WHO’s Advice

As established in the preceding, research is still ongoing, and no research pieces are explaining how long the infection stays on clothing. 

Nonetheless, the WHO already issued advice for this sort of situation.

‘If you think a surface may be infected, clean it with simple disinfectant to kill the virus and protect yourself and others. Clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, or nose.’

World Health Organisation

Inference and “common sense.”

Furthermore, the WHO suggests a low probability of infection via package delivery from an infected area. This assertion sits right within such parameters.  

‘The likelihood of an infected person contaminating commercial goods is low, and the risk of catching the virus that causes COVID-19 from a package that has been moved, travelled, and exposed to different conditions and temperature is also low.’

World Health Organisation

Going by this, the risk if any of COVID-19 transmission from these clothes is low; seeing as their transport would involve different weather conditions and environments, not to mention a length of time. 

More so, the fact that many affected countries have closed their borders rules out this possibility. Nigeria for one had imposed travel bans and suspended international flights from its Lagos and Abuja international airports. 

Last Resort

Let’s assume for a second that these infected clothes still make their way to a customer, what then? The consensus for second-hand clothing is to wash before use. This rationale holds for the average Nigerian. Following the WHO’s advice on disinfecting surfaces and regular handwashing as safety methods, one can easily infer washing clothes could eliminate the risk just as well. Still, this is all inference and logic. Going by facts, the probability of this is slim to none.

Regardless, best practices regarding personal hygiene have never been more imperative. Regular hand washing and clothes washing; leaving in a clean environment via disinfection; all go a long way to keeping you and your family safe during this pandemic.

Ghana’s coronavirus case count has risen to from 27 to 52. This was disclosed by the country’s Minister for Health, Mr Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, at a press briefing Tuesday morning.

The 25 new cases were confirmed after respiratory residue samples taken from travellers who have been mandatorily quarantined tested positive. 

According to Mr Agyemang-Manu, 1030 travellers had been mandatorily quarantined since Sunday. Out of the number, residue samples have been taken from 611. After completing testing on 185, about 14 per cent, 25, tested positive.

“Out of the 185 test results received, we have 25 of those quarantined tested positive. If we add on to the earlier number of 27, it means we have 52 people testing positive in our country at the moment,” Mr Agyemang-Manu said.

The Minister for Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said testing is still ongoing for travellers who have been quarantined.

Ghana’s index cases of the novel coronavirus, Covid-19, was announced on March 12, 2020. Subsequent to that, two deaths have been recorded. 

Mandatory Quarantine and Border closure

Ghana’s President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had on Saturday, March 21, 2020, directed a total closure of all its borders to human traffic with effect from Sunday, March 22, 2020. The president said the move was to aid prevent the spread of the Covid-19.

“All our borders, that is, by land, sea and air, will be closed to human traffic for the next two weeks beginning midnight on Sunday,” he said.

Travellers who arrive before the directive took effect were to undergo mandatory quarantine and Covid-19 testing.

Zimbabwe Police Use force to Dispel Recalcitrant Churches – Viral Whatsapp messages

False; the video is neither related to the coronavirus nor church activities. It is a November 2019 video of Zimbabwean police dispersing supporters of the main opposition political party.

Full Text

A video circulating on social media shows Police officers chasing and beating up men and women with batons. 

“Zimbabwe Police dealing with the church that refused to take instructions of closing for Corona virus (Koro),” the caption of the video on Whatsapp reads.

For a section of Ghanaians, churches who flout President Akufo-Addo’s directives on mass gatherings should suffer the same punishment.

The President last week banned public gatherings and suspended schools in a bid to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, Covid-19.

The video has been shared on several WhatsApp pages, on Instagram and on Twitter. Whatsapp users who shared it with Dubawa say it was also part of a news item by a popular television station.  

Verification

Yes, the video was taken in Zimbabwe. And yes, it shows Police using force and brutality against members of the public.

However, it is neither related to the coronavirus nor to any religious activity or group. 

A 2019 news report by Reuters explains that the incident occurred on November 20, 2019, and shows brutality meted on supporters of Zimbabwe’s main opposition political party, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). The supporters had gathered at their party headquarters to listen to a speech by their leader Nelson Chamisa on November 20, 2019.

Additionally, news organisations including the Guardian news and Aljazeera also carried the story last year.

To further verify, DUBAWA contacted Zimfact, a fact-checking platform in Zimbabwe. 

“This was police breaking up opposition supporters, Nov 20, 2019,” Zimfact said.

With effect midnight Sunday, March 22, 2020, Ghana will close all its borders to human traffic. The closure, however, will not apply to goods, supplies and cargo. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in a televised address on Saturday disclosed that the move is to prevent further spread of the novel coronavirus, Covid-19.

“All our borders, that is, by land, sea and air, will be closed to human traffic for the next two weeks beginning midnight on Sunday,” he said.

All travellers arriving in the country before midnight on Sunday will be required to undergo mandatory quarantine and Covid-19 testing.

“Anybody who comes into the country before on Sunday will be mandatorily quarantined and tested for the virus,” President Nana Akufo-Addo added.

Ghana’s Minister for Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, had earlier disclosed that travellers from high-risk countries with more than 200 cases of the Covid-19 would not be allowed into the country. The only exceptions were Ghanaian citizens and persons with Ghana residence permits.

Confirmed cases

Ghana’s index cases of the coronavirus were announced on March 12. 

Twenty-one cases have been confirmed as at 21:15 GMT March 21. One death was announced by the president in his address. Existing cases are therefore currently 20.

“Unfortunately one person who tested positive for the virus, but had serious underlying health complications, passed away in the early hours of today,” President Akufo-Addo said.

He said all the others are responding to treatment. Eight of them are being managed from their homes in isolation.

A Facebook post suggests that drinking lots of water and gargling with warm water and salt or vinegar eliminates the coronavirus.

The claim has not been corroborated by any health institution. The WHO says there is currently no specific treatment, drug or vaccine for the Covid-19, although some home remedies may provide comfort and alleviate symptoms.

A viral Facebook post proffers yet another remedy for the new coronavirus, COVID-19. How? Simply drink lots of and gargle with warm water and salt or vinegar and you are good to go.

DUBAWA looked into these claims and found no evidence to back them.

Verification

According to the World Health Organisation, the incubation period for Covid-19, that is, the period between contracting the virus and exhibiting symptoms ranges between one and 14 days. Symptoms however commonly appear after around five days.

How does the virus work?

The virus works by getting inside and taking over the cells of the body.  It first infects the cells lining the throat, airways and lungs and turns them into “coronavirus factories”. The “coronavirus factories” then spew out huge numbers of new viruses that go to infect more cells.

Will gargling saline solution eliminate the virus?

This claim has not been corroborated by any health institution. 

Gargling may soothe a sore throat, a symptom of the new coronavirus. In fact, NHS recommends gargling with warm saline water for adults suffering from sore throats. However, there is no evidence that it kills the virus. The Covid-19, according to Chinese health workers, invades the respiratory tract and therefore cannot be cleaned gargling. 

Indeed, the WHO, in its Q&A about coronavirus on twitter debunked a similar question of whether gargling mouthwash can protect one from COVID-19. 

How about drinking lots of Water? Drinking a lot of water and staying hydrated is advised especially when one is unwell. However, it does not prevent coronavirus infection.

Cures for the Covid-19?

The Organisation says there is currently “no vaccine and no specific antiviral medicine to prevent or treat COVID-2019.” Clinical trials are however ongoing to find a solution to the disease.

It adds that “some western, traditional or home remedies may provide comfort and alleviate symptoms of COVID-19.”

WHO’s standard recommendations to prevent infection spread of coronavirus 

• Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water.
• Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth
• Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately.
• Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance. Follow the directions of your local health authority.
• Stay informed and follow the advice given by your healthcare provider.

Coronavirus is a disease that causes damage to the respiratory tract when it is attached to the cells in the lining of the lungs causing damage to it. When the virus enters the body, the patient begins to experience mild symptoms of dry cough, shortness of breath, fever, headache, muscle pain and tiredness compared to ordinary flu.

Key facts

• Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome( SARS-Cov).
•  This disease is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person.
• It is also a new strain discovered in 2019, which has not been [previously identified in humans.
• WHO reports of no official vaccines yet for COVID-19; neither is there a cure, even though there are potential treatments, these are not definitive.
• The best way to prevent being infected is to take necessary preventive measures.

Prevalence

• Covid-19 has affected 222,643 thousand people globally, with older people more susceptible to the disease.
• Reports place the death toll at 9,1115 with over 84506 recovered patients.
• Coronavirus is now pandemic which has killed over 9.115 persons with 84506 recoveries made. 
• There are mild cases and severe ones as well. The mild ones are due to the response of the body’s immune system and its ability to contain the virus. ( mostly in young adults).

Causes & Symptoms

The disease Covid19 is caused by the virus designated, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). So far, health experts suggest respiratory droplets from an individual to be a prominent method of transmission. It can also be transmitted if a person touches the surface that houses the infected droplets and then touches any sensitive openings of the body, i.e. mouth, nose and eyes. So far, these are the known symptoms:

• Respiratory illness
• Fever
• Dry cough,
• Sneezing
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Body Aches
• Runny nose
• Sore throat

How does it spread?

1. Coronavirus spreads through direct contact: Respiratory droplets of “an infected” person or by touching surfaces that are contaminated.
2. The symptoms include coughing, sneezing, etc.
3. Wear a mask if: infected or display respiratory symptoms (coughing or sneezing) to protect others; if not, there is no need to wear a mask. 
4. There is no cure yet.

“How can my family and I stay safe?”

1. Wash your hands frequently: Regular and thorough handwashing with soap under running water at intervals is an essential way to prevent being infected. Health institutes have surmised the “happy birthday” song is the duration it takes for handwashing. 
2. Regular use of hand sanitizer: WHO also advises we utilise alcohol-based sanitizers; this is especially important in scenarios where we cannot practice frequent handwashing. Note, this is a simple alternative (where necessary) and not a replacement to basic hand hygiene (handwashing). Some people choose to utilise both methods; this is not compulsory.
3. Maintain social distancing: Avoid at all cost anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness like coughing and sneezing, cold or general flu-like symptoms. The rationale behind this being that the flu droplets from such person may contain the virus, and you risk infection from inhaling said droplets.
4. The deliberate effort of not touching eyes, nose and mouth: Your hands’ unavoidably touches many surfaces and can pick the virus up. The contaminated hands if not washed, can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth, which is easy access for the virus to enter the body.
5. Practice excellent and continuous respiratory hygiene: Make sure to practice good respiratory hygiene that is, covering your mouth with a flexed elbow when sneezing or coughing, or with a paper tissue and dispose of immediately.

Are you feeling sick with flu-like symptoms? Do not panic. Stay home and seek urgent medical attention.

Uber Services in Suspended in Accra until further notice – Viral WhatsApp Message.

Uber Services are still available in Accra and other parts of the country. 

Full text

The Director of Public Health, Ghana Health Service, Dr Badu Sarkodie in a press briefing on Sunday, March 15, 2020, announced that the number of Covid-19 cases has increased to six. Later that evening, the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo addressed the nation on measures taken to control the spread of the virus. They include the Ministry of Transport working with transport unions and public and private transport operations to ensure enhanced hygienic conditions in all cars and terminals.

On the same day, a message started circulating on WhatsApp stating that Uber services have been suspended in Accra until further notice. It purports to be a press release from the Uber Drivers Association. The message titled “UBER SERVICES SUSPENDED IN ACCRA UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE” was signed by Alex Joy Vifa who was noted as the Secretary for the association. A contact number, 0550359901, was included in the message.

According to the message, the decision to suspend Uber services in Accra was taken due to the spread of the coronavirus in Accra.

“This decision was taken due the spread of the deadly Coronavirus (COVID 19) in Accra. As at Sunday, 15th March 2020, Ghana has recorded 4 new cases of Coronavirus. In that regard, a total of 6 cases have been recorded so far,” the release said.

“Our services that we render to our riders in Ghana always expose us to the deadly disease. It is also a fact that we are not adequately prepared to detect, manage and prevent the spread of the disease. All these make drivers and riders vulnerable and susceptible to the COVID 19. We will put our lives and that of riders in danger when we continue our services,” it continued.

News portals such as bbcghana.com have proceeded to make news articles based on the viral message, with a headline stating that Uber services have been suspended in Accra.

Verification

Dubawa could not speak to Alex Joy Vifa of the Uber Drivers Association for verification as the number advertised in the release is incorrect.

The Country Manager for Uber Ghana, Ms Jessica Poku, has, however, in a thread on Twitter clarified that the viral message circulating is incorrect. She said the Uber application has not been suspended. It is still available throughout Ghana and is operating normally.

Ms Poku also noted that the nature of Uber services allows drivers to form associations. Therefore, the message could be from a group of drivers who have decided to withhold their services.

“This could be, for example, a group of 5 drivers who take a decision not to drive, and draft a message to send out. The application has not been suspended and is operating as normal at this time. You may open the app at any time to confirm same”

Ms Poku

This was again confirmed to Dubawa by an officer at the Uber Support Centre, Mr Hamand Khan. 

“In Ghana, the services are not suspended at all. Riders are sending requests for Uber and our partners are accepting the Uber ride,” Khan said.

Mr Khan added that plans of suspension of services if any would be communicated to riders either through email or through a suspension notice in their Uber app.

“If there is any plan of suspension of Uber in Accra, clients will receive an email or will see a suspension notification in their uber app directly. So if you receive any forwarded message from any third party, I will recommend you to contact us and verify that the information is from us,” Khan said. 

Mr Nathan Akoto of Hailing Apps, an app which has drivers from Bolt, Uber and Yango on their platform says their drivers are working.

“As far as we are concerned we’ve not had any corroboration. We tried the numbers that were put out there but none of them went through. But our drivers are working. You can just try ordering it and you will see for yourself.” Akoto said.

Dubawa also spoke to Mr Mark Agyei, an Uber driver in Accra who said they are currently working and have received no directives from their association to suspend services in the national capital.

Dettol can help in fighting coronavirus – viral social media posts

Dettol has been tested on, and found to kill coronaviruses such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). However, the manufacturer of Dettol, Reckitt Benckiser Group plc(RB), says it has not yet tested its products on the novel coronavirus and could not confirm whether Dettol is effective against the new coronavirus strain.  

Full Text

An image circulating on WhatsApp shows a bottle of Dettol with the caption “Imagine Dettol can help in fighting coronavirus and we’re ignorant of it. It’s written on the container zoom and read.” 

Similar versions of this image have been posted on Facebook; here, and here claiming similar discoveries with hundreds of shares across the platform. 

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause a range of illnesses including common colds, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV) and others. On the other hand, this new strain of the virus is one that had not previously been identified in humans.

In recent developments, The WHO has characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic. This was announced by the Director-General of WHO, Mr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in his opening remarks at the Mission briefing on the COVID-19 on March 12^th, 2020.

Verification

A Facebook post by Reckitt Benckiser Group plc(RB), producers of Dettol on January 31^st, 2020 states that the product has not been tested on the novel coronavirus and they, therefore, cannot confirm yet whether or not Dettol may be an effective disinfectant against the virus. 

“RB has become aware of speculation about Dettol products and the novel 2019-nCoV coronavirus. As this is an emerging outbreak, RB, like all manufacturers, doesn’t yet have access to the new virus (2019-nCoV) for testing and, as a result, are not yet in a position to confirm levels of effectiveness against the new strain,” the post said. 

Dettol has however been tested on and found to kill some members of the coronavirus family including MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV.

“Our products have been tested against other coronaviruses (such as MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV) and have been found to kill those. Although 2019-nCoV is a new strain, this virus is very similar to other coronaviruses. We continue to work with our partners to ensure that we have the latest understanding of the virus, route of transmission and will test our product range once health authorities make the strain available,” the producers of Dettol said.

Conclusion

Currently, no specific cure has been found for the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. Studies are ongoing and more information surfacing daily about the virus’ pattern of infection in humans.