The Two Cases Of Coronavirus In Ghana Proved Negative – Viral Video
The video is not new. It was part of a news item published by Citi TV on February 6, 2020, when two suspected cases tested negative.
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The Minister of Health, Mr Kwaku Agyemang-Manu announced Ghana’s index COVID-19 cases yesterday March 12, 2020, at a press briefing. He stated that the two confirmed cases are imported from Norway and Turkey.
A day after this, a viral video started circulating on social media. It carries the logo of a television station in Accra, Citi TV. In the video which shows an interview with the media, Dr Daniel Asare, the Chief Executive Officer of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, is heard saying the two suspected cases of coronavirus both tested negative.
News portals such as occupygh.com and Opera News have proceeded to make news items on 13th March 2020 disproving the two cases which were confirmed by the Mr Agyemang-Manu yesterday based on the viral video.
Verification
Citi TV has in a publication, clarified that the video is dated. It was an interview conducted over a month ago.
“The video in circulation is from an interview conducted on February 6, 2020, when the first two suspected cases were tested and proved negative,” a statement from Citi TV reads.
DUBAWA’s checks show the video was part of a news item by the media organisation which was published on 6 February 2020, when two previous suspected cases of the coronavirus in Ghana tested negative.
Citi TV has asked for the video to be disregarded, as it is misinforming the public on the two current confirmed cases in the country. Citi TV added that they have not had an interview with Dr Daniel Asare since the Minister of Health confirmed the two cases on 12 March 2020.
Ghanaian authorities confirmed two cases of the COVID-19, Thursday evening at a press briefing. Ghana’s Minister for Health, Mr Kwasi Agyemang-Manu led the charge.
These two instances are the first cases of the COVID-19 to test positive in Ghana; we recall some 57 suspected cases previously tested, proved negative.
Noguchi Memorial Institute received laboratory results of the two confirmed cases. It is also important to note that these instances are not homegrown. Both individuals returned to Ghana from Norway and Turkey respectively.
“Both individuals returned to Ghana from Norway and Turkey. So these are imported cases of COVID-19”
Mr Agyemang-Manu
Meanwhile, the minister assured Ghanaians that the government is working with all health partners to ensure the situation is contained; stating that both victims of the virus were stable and under quarantine. Also, he added that health stakeholders are tracing persons who may have come into contact with the two cases.
“I wish to assure all Ghanaians that the Government of Ghana together with all Health Partners will continue to work assiduously to ensure the situation is contained. Both patients are currently being kept in isolation and are stable. We have initiated processes for contact tracing”
a statement from the Ministry of Health said
On Wednesday evening, President Akufo-Addo addressed concerns regarding the outbreak. He assured Ghanaians that the country was ready in the eventuality of an outbreak. He further indicated the government had directed the release of the cedi equivalent of $100 million to boost the nation’s preparedness and response to the COVID-19.
“At my prompting, the Minister for Finance has made available the cedi equivalent of $100 million to enhance our coronavirus preparedness and response plan”
President Akufo-Addo
Preventive measures
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says there is currently no vaccine, drug or treatment for the disease.
“To date, there is no vaccine and no specific antiviral medicine to prevent or treat COVID-2019” “Possible vaccines and some specific drug treatments are under investigation. They are being tested through clinical trials. WHO is coordinating efforts to develop vaccines and medicines to prevent and treat COVID-19”
Hence, no evidence suggests that garlic, baking soda, chloroquine, amongst others can cure the coronavirus. The WHO, however, says some of these remedies may provide comfort and alleviate COVID-19 symptoms.
To protect yourself from contracting the disease, practice simple precautionary measures. Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly, follow good respiratory hygiene and avoid touching your nose, eyes and mouth.
Twitter users said Adutwumwaa Bitters cures coronavirus.
Adumtwumwaa Bitters does not cure coronavirus. Producers of the medicine, Adumtwumwaa Herbal Industries Limited, have emphatically stated that their product cannot and does not cure the deadly virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) says there is no cure, vaccine or specific antiviral medicine to prevent or treat coronavirus at the moment.
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Ghana is one of the lucky African countries which is yet to confirm a case of the coronavirus. Till date, health authorities confirm no live instances of the virus as all 41 suspected cases have tested negative.
Still, the Ghanaian economy’s connection with China where the outbreak originated and the country’s proximity to other Sub-Saharan African countries with confirmed cases such as Nigeria, have put officials on high alert. The possible outbreak of the coronavirus has therefore generated conversations both on traditional and new media.
In recent days, discussions about the COVID-19, especially on social media, have included several claims; one being that “Adutwumwaa Bitters”, produced by Adutwumwaa Herbal Industries Limited is the cure for the novel coronavirus.
This assertion left many with several reactions as this mainstream product has been on the Ghanaian market for more than three decades.
Meanwhile, these tweets come nearly five days after the claims started making rounds on Twitter and other social media platforms. On February 28 2020, twitter user with the handle @Ankamagyimi tweeted:
First, Dubawa arranged a phone interview with parties closest to the assertion. The manufacturers of the medicine, Adutwumwaa Herbal Industries Limited, when contacted debunked the claim. Subsequently, Yaw Afrifa, a member of the company’s Public Relations Unit, forwarded the image below to us.
In the meantime, the World Health Organization (WHO), the institution leading the world’s response on the COVID-19, says there is no cure yet for the disease. In the Q&A section of its website, the WHO indicates that as of date, there is no vaccine and no specific antiviral medicine to prevent or treat it.
CONCLUSION:
The evidence from the extensive research disproves the claim that Adutwumwaa Bitters cures coronavirus. This, however, does not mean all hope for a cure is Sisyphean. Scientists around the world are working towards developing a vaccine for the prevention and treatment of the disease.
Vaccine available for prevention of coronavirus – WhatsApp message.
The World Health Organisation says there is currently no vaccine for the treatment or prevention of the COVID-2019. However, health authorities are investigating possible vaccines through clinical trials with expected results soon.
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Following the outbreak of what is now officially called the COVID-19, numerous claims regarding drugs or treatment methods, have been in circulation on social media. Examples include the efficacy of garlic and chloroquine as cures for the COVID-19, which have been debunked by fact-checkers.
The latest claim, in the form of a screenshot DUBAWA received on WhatsApp, suggests a coronavirus vaccine may be available for the prevention of the disease.
The screenshot bears a picture of a vial with the inscription “Coronavirus Vaccine”. The text accompanying it reads: “That’s a great news in the world, To God be the glory. Business will soon start again especially to those travelling to China. Meanwhile, people’s reactions on the breaking news will tell you how important the coronavirus vaccine is to the whole world. Some of their comment are s follows:”
Verification
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is yet to confirm the availability of a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine. According to information on its website, there is currently no vaccine for the prevention of the disease.
“To date, there is no vaccine and no specific antiviral medicine to prevent or treat COVID-2019,” the website reads.
However, researchers in Hong Kong, the United States of America, Australia, China and other parts of the world are racing to find a cure, drug or vaccine for the COVID-19. Possible vaccines are under investigation and are being tested on animals to ascertain their efficacy.
We carried out several image searches on the screenshot received and came up with zero results. However, we traced the photo of the vial here. It carried the caption “Scientist holding a lab bottle with the text of coronavirus written in blue gloves and needle standing on the black table blurred background.”
We also observed the vial has featured in some news stories; which have focused on possible vaccines and the efforts scientists are making to develop a cure for the coronavirus.
Preventive Measures
For now, the necessary preventive measures, as highlighted by the WHO and the Ghana Health Service (GHS), are your best bet against contracting the disease. Here are some of the things you can do to stay safe:
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.
Chinese Doctors confirm African skin resists Coronavirus infection, says newswatchnigeria.com and other sites.
There is no evidence to suggest “black people’s” immunity to the virus, or conversely “white people’s” vulnerability to it. The World Health Organisation (WHO) already stated that anyone in proximity to an infected person is at risk of contracting it (COVID-19).
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The major outbreak of the coronavirus in Wuhan China has caused pandemonium with countries setting measures in place to curb its spread. Other than tackling the epidemic, the media now faces an onslaught of resultant misinformation.
WhatsApp Screenshot
Recently, a blog post said that Chinese doctors have confirmed that Africans have skin layers that are immune to the deadlycovid-19.
According to the post, a Cameroonian college student studying in China who contracted coronavirus quickly recovered “because of his blood genetic composition, which is mainly found in the genetic composition of Subsaharan Africans.”
Verification
Coronavirus, which was renamed Covid-19 recently by the World Health Organisation (WHO), is a virus that infects humans; leading to an upper and sometimes lower respiratory tract infection.
Does it mean Africans are safe? NO
Findings suggest otherwise. While the premise is correct, the claim is baseless; just another conclusion circulated by online blogs. Moreover, no credible news platform published it. Besides that, no health authority announced this alleged discovery.
Isolated Incident
Nonetheless, it is accurate that a 21-year old Cameroonian, Kem Senou Daryl studying in China became ill and was hospitalized shortly after contacting coronavirus. He was the first African in China to contract the disease and report a full recovery.
Reports have it that the young man who was under a 14-day quarantine in the university dormitory said:
“No matter what happens I don’t want to take the sickness back to Africa.”
Initially, he suffered from a fever, dry cough and flu-like symptoms; then was in isolation for 13 days in a local Chinese hospital. The doctors in the hospital administered antibiotics and HIV retroviral medication on Daryl for two weeks, after which he began to show signs of recovery. The hospital cleared Dary after the doctors conducted a CT scan and found no traces of the illness. The Chinese state also covered his medical care.
Possibly authentic image, still
Dubawa also performed reverse image verification on the pictures attached to the claim. Results revealed that they did not exist before February. Yet, to reiterate what we’ve established, it is an isolated incident!
Black or White? Don’t Matter
There is no evidence that black people were or are less susceptible to the disease. Anyoneregardless of race who comes into close contact with an infected party is at risk.
If indeed it is true that people from African backgrounds are more resistant to coronavirus than others, one should expect it to be a significant news story. Instead, we found the story only on a handful of online blogs, calling its trustworthiness to question.
PesaCheck interviewed a Medical practitioner, and the Doctor in a fact-check they published said:
Excerpt from PesaCheck
Conclusion
While Senou was the first African to contract the virus and recuperate from it, one cannot attribute his recovery to just genetics or a superior immune system. His healing was instead a function of medication administered, according to new reports. Although, according to Dr Kitheka, a healthy immune system does play a role in recovery.
Twitter posts suggest a multitude are converting to Islam in China for fear of COVID-19 outbreak.
Both videos concerning the purported mass conversion occurred at least a month before the COVID-19 outbreak. Chinese officials confirmed the latter to be on 31 December 2019. Thus, the viral video cannot be related to Coronavirus.
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Following the World Health Organisation’s declaration of COVID-19, as an international health emergency, and prior, the release of relevant and inconsequential information regarding the issue has stayed constant. Some may say, the proliferation of misinformation even outweighs credible intel.
More so, social media is likely one of the biggest propagators of false narratives related to Coronavirus; among which comes fabrications connecting the disease with religion.
Last week, a video surfaced on Twitter allegedly showing hundreds of Chinese citizens converting to Islam. The claim further said that Chinese people are switching to Islam in fear of Coronavirus as none of the followers of Islam was affected by the virus.
The post reads “Chinese converting to Islam after realizing that no Muslim was affected by #Coronavirus#COVD19 in the country.”
Firstly, Fact Crescendo, verification platform traced the video to a 2019, 30 June upload. The platform used verification tool- Yandex Reverse image search. The resulting YouTube video headlined in Arabic, translated in English as, “People enter the religion of Islam, Glory be to God.”
Further, findings led to yet another YouTube video uploaded on 7 November 2019 with the headline “MashaaAllah hundreds converted to Islam in Philippines.”
Conflicting Dates
From the above, it is clear to see that both incidences are unconnected. Both videos concerning the purported mass conversion occurred at least a month before the COVID-19 outbreak. Chinese officials confirmed the latter to be on 31 December 2019. Thus, the viral video cannot be related to Coronavirus.
Besides, there is no official research or record present that would suggest that the disease is related to any religion or community for that matter.
This Fact-check is an edited version of the original by Fact Crescendo, verification platform.
Social media posts claim Chloroquine, an antimalarial drug can cure #COVID19.
No health authorities have certified Chloroquine as a cure for coronavirus. WHO, the foremost authority on the subject, according to the Director-General of the body, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, says while the organisation is currently conducting a number of drug trials, it does not expect a result before three weeks. More so, the “malarial Chloroquine used in China was not one of the drugs.”
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Recently, the most trending tweets featured the hashtag CHLOROQUINE.
The thread indicates that Chloroquine which is an anti-malarial drug and autoimmune disease drug is a proven cure for covid-19 (Coronavirus).
We traced what may be the source of this dialogue to Verified Twitter page, China Science.
Antimalarial drug Chloroquine Phosphate has a certain curative effect on the #COVID19, Chinese experts confirmed based on the results of the clinical trials, according to an official on Monday. pic.twitter.com/bOt1B4v2PH
Similarly, news site, Coinspeaker published a report saying: China Approves Favipiravir as Potent Treatment against New Coronavirus COVID-19 Strain.
Verification
Dubawa currently awaits a response to emails sent to representatives of the WHO, CDC and NCDC.
Dubawa checks found not only Chloroquine Phosphate as the only purported remedial treatments for coronavirus, but reports also named Favipiravir and Remdesivir.
Global Times China and China Science on their verified Twitter handle attested to the fact that Chloroquine Phosphate an anti-malaria treatment drug has proven effective in treating Covid-19. The tweet says:
Chloroquine phosphate, a medicine that has been in the market for many years, has proven effective in treating #COVID19 and shows positive clinical effects: China’s Ministry of Science and Technology. pic.twitter.com/FZlHkYwTis
It is essential to note the phrase “clinical effects” does not necessarily indicate a definite cure; but rather a potential solution to the virus. The post surmises Chloroquine Phosphate as a likely remedy to Covid-10, not a confirmed treatment.
A report by Clinical Trials says Chloroquine yields positive data in Covid-19 trial.
Another report says a group of researchers who have researched (Vitro cell research) on the disease outbreak, tested several antivirals in the lab for effectiveness against covid-19. The result was that Remdesivir stopped the virus from replicating in a lab dish. Further, the group found that Chloroquine was effective in preventing the infection from spreading in human cells in the lab. The researchers gave their feedback in a report published by the journal Cell Research.
Their findings conclude that Remdesivir and Chloroquine are highly effective in the control of covid-19 infection in vitro (laboratory-controlled conditions).
Excerpt from site
Research Efforts
Interestingly, a report by BBC News Pidgin noted the group found Remdesivir and Chloroquine as capable of blocking the virus infection at low-micromolar concentration. BBC Pidgin even released the names of the Chinese researchers:
Manli Wang
Ruiyuan Cao
Leike Zhang
Xinglou Yang
Jia Liu
Mingyue Xu
Zhengli Shi
Zhihong Hu
Wu Zhong &
Gengfu Xiao
In the report, a medical expert says the research findings are not strange to science; still, the claims of the Covid-19 response group will need higher authorities such as WHO for authenticity and mainstream application.
New Turn in Events
On 20th February, CNBC published a report claiming that the World Health Organisation expects preliminary results from two clinical trials. The story went on to state that these trials scheduled in three weeks are potential treatments for the virus.
It stated that one trial combines HIV drugs Lopinavir and Ritonavir; while the other is testing U.S.-based biotech Gilead Sciences’ antiviral Remdesivir. The Lead for clinical management in the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, Dr Janet Diaz said that there are currently no proven therapies for the new virus. Additionally, she said there is no proof to claims by some scientists that Chloroquine, can be a potential treatment for the infection.
Similarly, Guardian (international edition) says that Doctors are looking into HIV and Ebola drugs for coronavirus cure, but results are not expected before March.
Potential treatment
Pointing to Remdesivir, one of the drugs under trial, The Guardian notes that Gilead, the manufacturers, had tested Remdesivir during the Ebola outbreak in the Republic of the Congo in 2018, with only limited cheering results; although it accepts that for now, the drug holds a pole position in the race for a solution to Covid-19. “The new trial of remdesivir will be “gold standard” and investigate how well it works in moderately and severely ill patients compared with others given a placebo,” reports the Guardian.
Meanwhile, WHO which has set a three-week result timeline for drug tests its research and development experts are executing, clarifies that the anti-malarial Chloroquine used in China was not one of the drugs in trials, according to its director-general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Following Article 67 of the 1992 Constitution, President Nana Akufo-Addo delivered the State Of the Nation Address to the Parliament of Ghana and by extension, Ghanaians.
The President highlighted the achievements of his government and their projected plans to execute before his term is over.
Generally, some of the assertions made by the President are claims that have been made on various platforms either by himself, the Vice President, Dr Bawumia or other Ministers of State.
In this fact-check, Dubawa examines two of the claims. One was correct, the other, false.
Ghana is the largest receiver of Foreign Direct Investment in West Africa.
Ghana receives the largest FDI in West Africa, according to the UNCTAD World Investment Report.
Verification
The President has previously made this claim on other platforms including ta Press Briefing last December. President Akuffo-Addo also stated this during the 71 st New Year School held on Tuesday, January 14.
On June 12, last year, the UNCTAD World Investment Report named Ghana as the leading recipient of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
Ghana takes over from Nigeria, which has had FDI flows declining by 43 per cent to $2 billion.
Even though the latest Ghana Living Standard Survey has recorded a drop in unemployment from 11.9% in 2015 to 7.3% in 2019, we still need to do more to create more jobs with urgency.
Ghana did not conduct GLSS in 2015 or 2019.
Verification
On unemployment, the President claimed the rate of unemployment has decreased from 11.9 per cent in 2015 to 7.3 per cent. While the source of data for these figures is the Ghana Living Standard Survey (GLSS) is credible, the claim is inaccurate.
Ghana Living Standards Survey
The GLSS is a household survey which provides information on the living conditions of Ghanaians. Seven rounds of GLSS have been conducted since its inception in 1987 with the most recent, the Round 7, being in 2016/2017.
The survey classifies individuals aged 15 and above without jobs but “potentially” available for employment as unemployed. The survey further calculates the total unemployment rate in Ghana by dividing the unemployed population by the labour force.
2015 Featured No GLSS
The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) released the GLSS 6 report in August 2014. The survey covered 12 months with data collected between October 2012 and October 2013. According to the report, the unemployment rate for the period was 5.2%.
“…The unemployment rate for persons aged 15 years and older is 5.2 per cent”
page 57 of the report reads.
No GLSS was conducted in 2019.
The next GLSS, which happens to be the latest, took place between October 2016 and October 2017. The GSS, however, released the report in June 2019. The report pegged the unemployment rate at 8.4 per cent (page 90).
Thus, the figures quoted by the President cannot be from the GLSS. We can only surmise the President arrived at these figures based on further analysis of the metadata from sixth and seventh rounds of GLSS.
News platforms report the coronavirus outbreak has surfaced in Ghana with two confirmed cases.
While there are reports of two suspects exhibiting symptoms of the said virus, both men tested negative. This is according to Dr Asare, the Chief Executive Officer of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
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The headline of news reports claims the dreaded coronavirus has ‘hit’ Ghana with two cases recorded at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. A number of online portals also carried the same or similar headlines.
Verification
The content of the story, however, does not support the headline. Publications have it that, the two foreigners, a Chinese and an Argentine were directed to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital after exhibiting symptoms associated with the coronavirus.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Daniel Asare set the record straight. In a media address, he confirmed that both preliminary and subsequent tests conducted on the patients came out negative.
“The preliminary confirmation was negative and the next one that came, which is the actual confirmation, shows that they are negative”
Dr Daniel Asare- Chief Executive Officer of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital
A month post the initial recognition of the novel coronavirus and the media has not slowed down its traction in raising awareness. The problem, however, is amid apprehension amongst people lies misinformation- with this post as an example. The user claims the #coronavirus is an ‘unknown virus’ that kills “under a few seconds”. The user further attached two photos for emphasis. The first photo shows an aerial view of several people lying on a street while some seem to be walking by. The second image featured two people in medical masks.
But is the coronavirus an ‘unknown virus’ and does it kill that ‘under a few seconds’ as suggested by the post? Also, are the photos related to the coronavirus outbreak?
“More rarely, the disease can be fatal. Older people and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as diabetes and heart disease) appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus”
World Health Organisation
Currently, authorities have confirmed over 20,600 cases in 24 countries. And as of February, reports place the death toll over 360. It stands to reason, if the virus “kills under seconds”, the casualty rate would be in the thousands.
Photos not related to the novel coronavirus.
We traced the photo of the two people in medical masks to 17 August 2018. They were taken during the most recent Ebola virus outbreak. The two people pictured were doctors preparing to enter an isolation unit at a hospital in Uganda.
We traced the second to a photo gallery published by VOA dated March 25, 2014, credited to Reuters. The caption of the photo explained “people lay down in a pedestrian zone as part of an art project in remembrance of the 528 victims of the “Katzbach” Nazi concentration camp, in Frankfurt, March 24, 2014.”
