Stop Ebola virus mischief online

 

Many have been receiving WhatsApp messages that are either jokes on the virus or “fake news” that talk about the virus having arrived in the state.

 

But city doctors dismiss these rumours. “Even I have received a few messages on a group on WhatsApp about the Ebola virus. But I’m not aware of any case here. When there is any threat of a virus, the health authorities usually issue an alert, but nothing has been told to us till now. So there is nothing to be scared about right now,” says Dr Hari Kishan Boorugu, consultant physician, Apollo Hospitals. 

 

He, however, adds, “Like for every other virus, one always needs to take precautions. Stay away from people who are sick and clean your hands regularly.” Jokes about the virus too are doing the rounds on social media. Even Lakshmi Manchu tweeted a joke about the virus. 

 

General practitioner Dr Khushwant Singh, meanwhile, strongly condemns these messages saying, “Every time there is an outbreak of a virus in any part of the world, people start circulating these messages without going through the facts or cross checking with the doctors. This is an overreaction by social media that is spreading panic about Ebola when there is no authentic proof that Ebola is already here.” 

 

Jokes aside, while these rumours can be a scare for people who travel a lot, Tollywood producer Nikita Reddy says that they can actually do good by spreading awareness.