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Fighting myths about coronavirus in Africa
- This article is more than one year old.
- Published on April 26, 2022 at 12:03
- Updated on July 20, 2022 at 14:43
- 118 min read
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Below is a regularly-updated list of all our English-language fact-checks in Africa (last updated on July 20, 2022):
342. Image does not show authentic Global News article on Covid vaccine
An image shared tens of thousands of times on social media purports to show an article from Global News that says the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine is only 12 percent effective. This is false; the Canadian news organization did not publish the article, and Pfizer's clinical trial data showed the vaccine to be 95 percent effective.
June 2, 2022
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341. Posts misleadingly link AstraZeneca Covid jab to monkeypox cases
Social media posts shared worldwide claim that recent cases of monkeypox outside of countries where it is endemic are a "side effect" of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, which uses a weakened chimpanzee adenovirus vector that has been altered so it does not infect humans or replicate. This is misleading; health experts told AFP the virus that causes monkeypox is different from AstraZeneca's adenovirus vector, which does not cause disease in humans.
June 1, 2022
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340. Edited video misrepresents Pfizer CEO's comments at World Economic Forum
A video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in social media posts that claim it shows Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla saying the US pharmaceutical giant aims to cut the world's population in half by 2023. However, the video has been edited. In the original clip, Bourla told Klaus Schwab, the founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum (WEF), that Pfizer plans to cut the number of people who cannot afford their medicine by half.
June 1, 2022
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339. Video shows children wearing hazmat suits in northern China, not 'Shanghai during lockdown'
A video of a group of children wearing hazmat suits has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in social media posts that claim it shows them attending school in Shanghai during the city's Covid-19 lockdown. However, the video was actually filmed in China's northern Hebei province. Schools in Shanghai -- China's largest city -- reverted to online learning in mid-March and in-person classes were not scheduled to resume until June.
May 30, 2022
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338. US has not proposed giving WHO control of health care
Former US congresswoman Michele Bachmann claimed in an interview that the Biden administration has proposed giving the World Health Organization (WHO) control over national health care decisions. This is false; the US proposed amendments to WHO regulations aimed at beefing up the agency's response to future disease outbreaks, but the global agency, US officials and experts say the proposals would not give the WHO power to override domestic policies.
May 24, 2022
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337. UK govt rejects fake Covid vaccine injury poster shared on Facebook
A screenshot of a poster about Covid-19 vaccines that was purportedly issued by the UK government is circulating on Facebook. It urges people to apply for compensation if they were not "made fully aware of the health risks" of the jab. However, the poster is a fabrication; a government spokesperson said it was not an official publication and used government logos "without knowledge or permission".
May 23, 2022
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336. Article reporting Pfizer VP's arrest is satire
Social media posts say that Pfizer's Executive Vice President Rady Johnson has been arrested and charged with fraud. This is false; the article that originated the claim says that it is satire, and a Pfizer representative said the allegation was untrue, branding it "ridiculous."
May 12, 2022
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335. Social media posts mislead on vaccination programme pause in Denmark
A claim that Denmark has entirely shut down its Covid-19 vaccination programme has been shared thousands of times in social media posts in April 2022. However, the claim is misleading; the Danish Health Authority says that the voluntary vaccination programme has only been paused for the time being and has not been discontinued entirely.
May 10, 2022
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334. Anthony Fauci was not arrested by US military
An online article claims that American special forces arrested top US infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci on April 9, 2022 on charges of treason, malpractice, conspiracy and homicide. This is false; the Pentagon called it a "total and utter fabrication," the health agency Fauci heads denied the claim, and the scientist has made public appearances after the date of the alleged arrest.
April 21, 2022
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333. Clip of man in body bag smoking is from the set of a music video, not ‘staged’ deaths in Ukraine
A TikTok video of a man smoking a cigarette in what appears to be a truck full of body bags has been viewed thousands of times in Facebook posts suggesting that deaths are being staged in the war in Ukraine. The claim is false; the clip shows the behind-the-scenes making of a music video for a song released by Russian rapper Husky in September 2020.
March 23, 2022
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332. No evidence that Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine causes encephalitis, health experts say
As Australian health authorities battled to control an unprecedented spread of the mosquito-borne Japanese encephalitis virus, social media posts claimed the potentially deadly virus was an adverse effect of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine. But the posts -- shared hundreds of times -- are false. Health experts told AFP there is no link between encephalitis -- an inflammation of the brain -- and the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The posts misrepresented a document that Pfizer submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
March 21, 2022
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331. Australian health official did not say vaccinated 'dying from myocarditis'
A video is circulating in multiple social media posts that claim it shows a top Australian health official "admitting" people vaccinated against Covid-19 are dying from myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle. This is false; the clip was taken from longer footage that shows Queensland chief health officer John Gerrard talking about myocarditis deaths in Covid-19 patients, not vaccinated people. Australia's drugs regulator said it had not recorded any myocarditis deaths caused by Covid-19 vaccines.
March 15, 2022
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330. Posts share unverified list of 'countries that have scrapped quarantine and virus testing'
Facebook posts circulating in February 2022 claim a string of countries including Turkey, Brazil and Britain have scrapped "all quarantine procedures" and Covid-19 testing. The posts — shared hundreds of times on Facebook and Twitter — claim that ten countries have decided to treat the virus as though it is a "seasonal flu". The claims are misleading; many of the countries included in the list still have Covid-19 quarantine and testing procedures for incoming travellers, as of February 26, 2022.
February 26, 2022
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329. Newspaper rejects fake report about New Zealand govt 'adding vaccines to water supply'
Like elsewhere across the globe, misinformation about the novel coronavirus in Africa has spread quickly online as the pandemic progresses through different stages. AFP Fact Check has been debunking false claims around the continent since the start.
February 17, 2022
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328. Social media post falsely attributed to Canada PM Trudeau
An image of a social media post that appears to be from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and urges people to shun unvaccinated family members is circulating online. But Trudeau's office says he did not post the message, and there is no trace of it on his official social media accounts.
February 4, 2022
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327. Video shows Italian festival, not anti-mandate trucker protest
A video showing dozens of trucks driving through a town and honking was shared thousands of times alongside claims it shows Italian truckers inspired by a convoy of Canadians who drove to Ottawa in 2022 to protest Covid-19 vaccine mandates. This is false; the video was taken in September 2021 during a city festival in the Piedmont region of Italy.
February 4, 2022
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326. Photo depicts 1991 Moscow protest, not 2022 anti-mandate Canada convoy
Facebook users shared a photo of a crowd hundreds of thousands strong, alongside a claim it showed a 2022 anti-vaccine mandate protest in Ottawa, Canada. This is false; the photo was taken during an anti-government protest in Moscow in 1991.
February 3, 2022
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325. 5G networks do not cause 'flu-like' symptoms
Social media posts claim radiation from 5G technology makes people sick with flu-like symptoms. But US health authorities and independent experts say there is no evidence that wireless communication systems are harmful to humans.
February 2, 2022
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324. Footage from The Simpsons was edited to look like the show predicted Canada’s Covid truckers protest
Posts shared on social media in South Africa and the United States claim that an old episode of The Simpsons TV show predicted the January 2022 Covid-19 trucker protest in Canada. But the claim is false: AFP Fact Check found that the video is an edit of two different episodes made to look like the show’s producers predicted the event.
February 1, 2022
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323. Social media posts share false stats on Australia's vaccine rollout for children
As Australia started administering Covid-19 vaccines for children, multiple social media posts circulating in January claimed that "three [child] deaths" were recorded following vaccinations. The posts included a purported tweet from the chief health officer for the state of New South Wales. The claim is false. As of January 25, 2022, Australia's vaccine safety regulators have recorded no child deaths linked to vaccinations. The purported tweet was fabricated, according to the state health department.
January 25, 2022
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322. Authorities say no vaccines stored in Italy’s Carabinieri police barracks when fire started
Footage of a building in flames is circulating on social media across several countries. The clip accompanies posts claiming that the fire gutted a military barracks supposedly housing Covid-19 vaccines in Italy after mandatory vaccination was approved for security forces in the country. The claim is misleading: although Italy’s first Covid-19 vaccines were initially stored at the military camp in 2020, there were no doses in the building at the time of the accidental fire, according to a Carabinieri spokesperson.
January 10, 2022
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321. Picture is from 2015 and shows political rally in Tanzania, not Kenya
Facebook posts with images of a political rally held by Kenya’s Deputy President William Ruto in his hometown of Eldoret on January 8, 2022, included an old and unrelated picture. The image of a huge crowd, which also circulated on Twitter, was captured in Tanzania by an AFP photographer in 2015 during a public gathering organised by the ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi.
January 8, 2022
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320. 'Omikron' video game not related to Bill Gates or Covid-19 variant
Social media posts in late 2021 claim a 1999 video game named "Omikron" is linked to Bill Gates and Microsoft, the company he co-founded, suggesting that it foreshadowed the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. This is false; Microsoft says that neither it nor Gates -- a favored target of conspiracy theorists -- were involved in the game's development, and it is unrelated to the deadly pandemic that came two decades later.
December 29, 2021
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319. Video shows German farmers' protest from 2019, not a rally against Covid rules
A video has been shared repeatedly in multiple Facebook posts that claim it shows a protest against the German government's "medical tyranny" in December 2021. The claim circulated online after Germany imposed sweeping curbs on people not vaccinated against Covid-19. However, the claim is false: the video shows German farmers protesting in Berlin in November 2019 over new agricultural rules.
December 28, 2021
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318. Video makes inaccurate claims about Covid-19 shots harming children
A video viewed hundreds of thousands of times online features researcher Robert Malone making a series of claims about mRNA Covid-19 shots causing harm to children. But experts say the claims are inaccurate, and a physician from a leading children's hospital called the video "dangerously and flagrantly incorrect."
December 23, 2021
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317. Magazine memorial misrepresented as evidence of spike in US pilot deaths
Online articles claim there has been a huge surge in US pilot deaths, citing a memorial section in the Air Line Pilots Association union's magazine as evidence and linking it to Covid-19 vaccination. But the association says it reported more deaths before Covid-19 vaccines were widely available, and the US Federal Aviation Administration says it has carefully reviewed data about the safety of the shots and permits pilots to receive them.
December 23, 2021
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316. Posts mislead on Australia's Covid travel restrictions after Omicron cases recorded
Posts shared tens of thousands of times on Facebook and Twitter have questioned how the new Omicron coronavirus variant reached Australia if "the unvaccinated cannot leave or enter", implying that vaccines provide ineffective protection against the disease. The claim, however, is misleading: unvaccinated Australians are allowed to leave or enter the country under certain exemptions. Experts have consistently said that while Covid-19 vaccines reduce the chances of severe disease and death, vaccinated individuals can still transmit the virus.
December 23, 2021
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315. False claim that Covid-19 shots undermine immune system spreads online
Online articles and social media posts claim that Covid-19 shots compromise the immune systems of recipients, causing "vaccine acquired immune deficiency syndrome." This is false; medical experts -- one of them an author of a study cited in support of the claim -- say the vaccines do not have this effect.
December 17, 2021
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314. Articles inaccurately claim document reveals Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine deaths
Online articles shared on social media claim a document released by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revealed more than 1,200 deaths related to Pfizer-BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine in a 90-day period. But the pharmaceutical giant says the document does not indicate the fatalities are linked to vaccination, and it concludes the shots are safe -- a finding supported by US health authorities as well as clinical research.
December 15, 2021
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313. Old interview with BioNTech chief recirculates with false claim he 'admitted he is not vaccinated'
A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in posts in early December that claim it shows the chief of BioNTech -- the company that developed a Covid-19 jab with Pfizer -- admitting he has not been vaccinated against the coronavirus. The posts circulated online as scientists tested the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine's efficacy against the Omicron coronavirus variant. But the video has been shared in a false context; it shows an interview with Ugur Sahin in late 2020 in which he said he would not jump the vaccination "priority" line. Sahin was vaccinated in early 2021, BioNTech told AFP.
December 15, 2021
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312. This image is fake -- it does not show a real 'booster jab advert' featuring Jacinda Ardern
A photo shared thousands of times around the world appears to show a billboard featuring New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern inviting Kiwis to get a "Christmas booster [jab]" in exchange for "up to six months' worth of freedoms". The claim circulated online shortly after New Zealand said it would not reopen to foreign travellers until at least the end of April 2022, as it slowly relaxes some of the world's toughest pandemic border restrictions. But the image has been digitally manipulated from an old election advert. The New Zealand Prime Minister’s office told AFP the image was a “fake”.
December 14, 2021
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311. World Economic Forum did not report Omicron variant in July 2021, original article was updated
Posts shared on social media in the United States and South Africa claim that the World Economic Forum (WEF) made reference to the newly discovered Omicron variant in a report dated July 2021 – months before the latest mutation of the Covid-19 virus was announced. But this is false: the original WEF article cited on social media made no mention of Omicron, and it was only updated in November 2021 with details about the latest variant.
December 10, 2021
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310. False claims on Ursula von der Leyen's vaccine remarks spread online
Social media posts and online articles claim European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for scrapping the Nuremberg Code and forcing people to receive a Covid-19 vaccination. But she made no mention of the Nuremberg Code when questioned about moves to require vaccination in some European countries, instead suggesting a "discussion" and "common approach" to implementing policies.
December 9, 2021
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309. Nova Scotia defibrillator purchases falsely tied to Covid-19 pandemic
Social media posts claim a decision by Canada's Nova Scotia to equip public schools with defibrillators is linked to rare side effects of Covid-19 vaccines. But the provincial government said the move is unrelated to the pandemic, and a Canadian foundation said efforts to make the life-saving devices accessible in public buildings, including schools, have been ongoing for more than a decade.
December 9, 2021
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308. Movie poster was altered to read 'The Omicron variant'
Social media posts share a poster for a purported 1963 science-fiction movie called "The Omicron Variant" to suggest that the pandemic and the appearance of the latest coronavirus variant of concern was planned in advance. But the poster is a digital fabrication based on one for a 1974 film named "Phase IV."
December 2, 2021
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307. Posts misleadingly link childhood stroke warning to vaccines
Social media posts share a picture of a bus advertisement about paediatric stroke awareness in Canada and suggest it is related to Covid-19 vaccines. But the ad has nothing to do with the shots, and health authorities and independent experts say available data does not show a causal link between mRNA vaccines and strokes in children.
November 18, 2021
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306. Posts falsely say Pfizer CEO's wife died from vaccine complications
An online article said Myriam Bourla, wife of Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, died of complications arising from a Covid-19 vaccine. The claim is false, the pharmaceutical company and the hospital mentioned in the article told AFP, and Myriam Bourla attended a public event after the article erroneously announced her death.
November 18, 2021
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305. Post falsely claims Covid-19 shots more dangerous for children than virus
An Instagram post claims children are 50 times more likely to die from Covid-19 shots than from the virus, citing a former Pfizer researcher. This is false; the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says it has not detected an unusual pattern of such deaths following Covid-19 vaccination, Pfizer says there have been no vaccine-related fatalities among children who received its shots, and a pediatrician described the risk of the disease as being far higher than that of the vaccine.
November 12, 2021
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304. Japan has not stopped using vaccines to combat Covid-19
Multiple Facebook posts have shared a claim that Japan has stopped using vaccines against Covid-19 and prescribed antiparasitic drug ivermectin, ending the pandemic in the country “almost overnight”. But the claims are false; Japan are still administering Covid-19 vaccines. The Japanese authorities have not approved ivermectin as a treatment against Covid-19.
November 11, 2021
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303. Covid-19 vaccination sign did not call for child organ donations
Facebook posts feature a photo of a sign at a vaccination stand that urges people to remember to donate their children's organs, suggesting that the shots will kill them. But the image has been manipulated; the original banner advertised vaccinations in English and Spanish, with no mention of organ donation.
November 10, 2021
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302. Video falsely claimed to show children who died due to Covid-19 vaccination
A video has been shared repeatedly in Facebook posts that claim it shows 13 children who died because of the Covid-19 vaccination in South Africa. However, the claim is false: the video was in fact shot in Kenya in February 2020, months before South Africa rolled out the Covid-19 vaccination programme; The pupils died because of a stampede at their school.
November 9, 2021
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301. Facebook posts falsely link Astroworld deaths to Covid-19 vaccines
Facebook posts claim the deadly crush at rapper Travis Scott's Astroworld Festival was caused by graphene oxide in Covid-19 vaccines that allowed concertgoers to be controlled. This is false; the substance is not an ingredient in any of the shots authorized in the United States, and authorities are still investigating events at the Houston, Texas, concert.
November 9, 2021
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300. Social media users falsely link Pfizer to Covid-19 monitoring invention
Multiple Facebook posts have shared an image of a US patent registration document alongside a claim that it shows Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine has been approved to be used for "remote contact tracing of all vaccinated humans worldwide". The claim is false. The registered patent is not intended for tracking vaccinated people and has no connection with Pfizer, the patent’s creators and the pharmaceuticals company told AFP.
November 9, 2021
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299. Italy did not revise down its Covid-19 death toll
Social media posts and online articles claim Italian authorities revised down the country's Covid-19 death toll from more than 130,000 to less than 4,000. This is false; the posts and articles misrepresented a report by Italy's leading health institute, which described the claim as "fake news."
November 5, 2021
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298. New Pfizer vaccine ingredient addresses storage issues, not heart problems
Social media posts and an online article say pharmaceutical giant Pfizer added an ingredient used to stabilize heart attack victims to its Covid-19 vaccine for children, linking the move to reports of rare side effects from the shots. This is misleading; Pfizer's new formula containing tromethamine will be used for both children and adults, and the ingredient's purpose is to ease and prolong vaccine storage, the company and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) say.
November 4, 2021
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297. Fake poster from Irish health agency spreads false claims about Covid-19 vaccine side effects
An image has been shared repeatedly in social media posts around the world that purports to show a poster from an Irish health agency listing "vaccine side effects" that include "sudden death". The image is a hoax; the Irish health agency says it did not issue the poster.
November 1, 2021
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296. No evidence that five heads of state were assassinated for rejecting Covid-19 vaccines
A meme shared on Facebook claims that the former leaders of Haiti, Tanzania, Burundi, eSwatini and Ivory Coast were assassinated because they opposed Covid-19 vaccines. But the claim is false: there is no evidence to suggest that the five politicians, who died in the past 16 months, were killed for refusing vaccines.
October 29, 2021
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295. This video shows a pre-pandemic protest by indigenous groups in Brazil
A video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in multiple social media posts that claim it shows indigenous Australians defending themselves with bows and arrows against compulsory Covid-19 vaccinations. The claim is false: the video predates the pandemic. It shows indigenous groups in Brazil protesting in 2019 against a proposal to transfer indigenous health services from the federal government to municipalities. Covid-19 vaccination is only compulsory at a national level for certain key workers in Australia, as of October 27, 2021.
Ocotober 27, 2021
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294. Graphene is not a Covid-19 vaccine ingredient, nor is it found in beach sand
A video shared hundreds of times on Facebook in South Africa features two Australian women using a magnet to trap particles of black beach sand, which they claim is graphene that ends up in vaccines, food and other items. But these claims are false: experts have repeatedly said that none of the Covid-19 vaccines contains graphene. A geologist told AFP Fact Check that the dark beach particles occur naturally all over the world and are not graphene, which is a synthesised material.
October 27, 2021
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293. Retired US chiropractor makes multiple false claims about Covid-19
During a meeting in Orange County, Florida, a retired chiropractor made several false claims about Covid-19 and vaccines. A three-minute video of his testimony has been shared widely on social media. In the video, Kevin Stillwagon repeats previously debunked myths about Covid-19. AFP Fact Check takes a look at them.
October 19, 2021
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292. CDC has not warned of polio-like illness outbreak in 2021
An article shared hundreds of times on social media claims that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned of an expected outbreak of a polio-like illness in 2021, with some social media users suggesting this is an attempt to cover up adverse reactions to vaccines. This is false: the CDC's alert was from 2020 and it has issued no such warning in 2021. Furthermore, there is no link between that illness and Covid-19 vaccination, the public health agency told AFP, while data shows that Covid-19 vaccines are overwhelmingly safe.
September 17, 2021
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291. List of employers that supposedly do not mandate Covid-19 shots is mostly false
A graphic published on Facebook in South Africa claims that Covid-19 vaccine mandates do not apply to staff at various federal US agencies, pharmaceutical companies and the World Health Organization (WHO). This is partly false; six of the seven entities listed in the graphic have made it mandatory for employees to get vaccinated against Covid-19. Only the WHO has abstained.
September 16, 2021
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290. Protest video spreads false claims in South Africa about Covid-19 and vaccines
An anti-vaccine protester makes a string of false allegations about Covid-19 in a video shared on Facebook in South Africa, including that vaccines have not been officially approved, children don’t die from the disease, and PCR tests are fraudulent. AFP Fact Check has investigated and debunked the claims.
September 7, 2021
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289. South African heart surgeon uses webinar to spread Covid-19 vaccine misinformation
A BitChute video featuring South African cardiothoracic specialist Dr Susan Vosloo sharing her views on Covid-19 and vaccines during an online meeting has circulated widely on social media. In the clip, Vosloo makes a string of false allegations about the disease and reiterates previously debunked myths about Covid-19 vaccines. AFP Fact Check looks at her various claims.
September 2, 2021
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288. Footage of crowd shows university protest in Kenya, not Covid-19 demonstration in France
A video shared hundreds of times on Facebook claims to show people in France being dispersed by police during a protest against Covid-19 vaccines. But the claim is false: the clip shows students from the University of Nairobi in Kenya demonstrating against fee increases.
September 1, 2021
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287. US regulators approved Pfizer-BioNTech shot under new name
Articles and social media posts shared thousands of times claim that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not give full approval to the Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech. This is false; the agency signed off on the shot for Americans aged 16 and older on August 23, 2021.
August 31, 2021
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286. Video makes false claim about 'children dying after Covid-19 vaccinations in Australia'
A video viewed tens of thousands of times on social media claims that two children died from a Covid-19 vaccine in Australia's most populous city, Sydney. The claim is false: as of August 31, Australia has not recorded any deaths from the Pfizer-BioNTech jab, the only coronavirus vaccine that has been given to under-18s in the country.
August 31, 2021
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285. US drug regulator did not approve thalidomide in the 1960s
Social media posts claim the US Food and Drug Administration approved the drug thalidomide, which caused serious birth defects in the 1950s and 1960s. But the regulatory agency did not do so at the time, procedures have been tightened in the last 60 years, and a recently approved Covid-19 vaccine was subject to clinical trials and independent review.
August 26, 2021
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284. Posts falsely claim Kadhafi 'predicted the Covid-19 pandemic'
A claim has been shared widely on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube that the late Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi predicted the Covid-19 pandemic. The posts, which included an image of Kadhafi speaking at the United Nations in 2009, cite a comment he purportedly made: "They will create the viruses themselves and sell you the antidotes." The claim is misleading: the posts have misquoted Kadhafi 's 2009 speech.
August 26, 2021
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283. Tennessee order does not allow forced relocation to Covid-19 camps
Online articles and social media posts claim an order by the governor of the US state of Tennessee allows National Guard troops to "kidnap" people and take them to Covid-19 "internment camps." This is false; the order allows National Guard members to assist medical workers in a health care system strained by rising case numbers, but makes no mention of abductions, and the governor's office has said the claim is inaccurate.
August 24, 2021
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282. False reports claim John Cena died from Covid-19
Social media posts shared thousands of times claim that American wrestler and actor John Cena died on August 11, 2021 after being infected with Covid-19. The claim is false: Cena competed in WWE's Summer Slam 2021 on August 21. He has also been active on social media since the hoax reports circulated.
August 23, 2021
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281. US doctor spreads false information about Covid-19 mRNA vaccines
A video shared on Facebook in which an American doctor makes several claims about mRNA vaccines against Covid-19 has been viewed nearly 900 times in Ethiopia. But the doctor’s claims are false, experts told AFP Fact Check. The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines that use mRNA technology are considered safe, and millions of doses have been administered.
August 18, 2021
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280. An image shows 2018 French protests against a tax on fuel, not Covid-19 restrictions
Three photos have been shared hundreds of times on Facebook in South Africa and Australia alongside a claim that they show Covid-19 related demonstrations in France and Greece. But the claim is misleading; while two of the images show Greeks protesting against their country’s Covid-19 vaccination programme, a third image, purportedly of a France anti-vaccination protest, was taken in 2018 during the “gilets jaunes” protests in France, before the pandemic.
August 18, 2021
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279. Indiana doctor spreads Covid-19 misinformation during school board meeting
A video has been shared across social media of Dr Daniel Stock, as he makes several false and misleading statements while giving testimony at a school board meeting in the US state of Indiana. He repeats previously debunked myths about Covid-19 vaccines, inaccurately claims that face masks are ineffective in slowing the spread of the virus, and touts unapproved treatments.
August 13, 2021
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278. Coronavirus variants are not released as part of staged pandemic
A chart purporting to show a schedule of pre-planned coronavirus variants has been shared thousands of times on social media as proof of a baseless conspiracy theory that the pandemic was staged. But viruses mutate unpredictably, several of the variants have already been detected ahead of the supposed timetable, and the groups whose logos appear in the posts -- including the World Health Organization -- told AFP that the image is not genuine.
August 11, 2021
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277. Popular Nigerian pastor falsely claims Covid-19 vaccines alter DNA
Popular Nigerian pastor Chris Oyakhilome has claimed that the Covid-19 vaccine is gene therapy that alters people’s DNA. This is false; experts say the vaccine does not alter DNA. Oyakhilome is known for spreading misinformation about Covid-19 to his followers in Nigeria and across the world.
August 10, 2021
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276. Pfizer CEO is fully vaccinated against Covid-19
Social media posts shared thousands of times in August 2021 link to an Israeli newspaper article to claim that the head of Pfizer, which manufactures the most widely-used shot against Covid-19 in the US, is not fully vaccinated. But the article is dated before the pharmaceutical chief received his second jab, on March 10, 2021, and his company confirmed that he has received the full complement of shots.
August 10, 2021
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275. Anti-mask message falsely attributed to actor Tim Roth
A photo of English actor Tim Roth has been shared thousands of times on social media alongside a message criticizing the use of masks to curb the spread of Covid-19. But the actor's spokeswoman said the remark did not come from him, and he has publicly expressed support for masks.
August 5, 2021
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274. Experts deny claims that taking painkillers after Covid-19 vaccine causes death
Multiple posts on Facebook and WhatsApp in Nigeria claim that taking anti-inflammatory medication diclofenac or having “any anaesthesia” within two years of a Covid-19 vaccine leads to death. This is false; while experts discourage the use of analgesics before taking the vaccine, this is because the effect on the jab’s ability to create an immune response is unclear. There is no evidence to show that painkillers taken after the Covid-19 vaccine cause death.
August 5, 2021
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273. US health agency did not say Covid-19 vaccines are 'failing'
An online article claims the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Covid-19 vaccines are "failing" and immunized people can be "super-spreaders" of the disease. This is false; the article misrepresents remarks by CDC director Rochelle Walensky, and the agency says she did not state that vaccinated people are more contagious.
August 4, 2021
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272. South African agency warns of fake notice for Covid-19 social relief grant
Social media users have been sharing a notice purportedly issued by the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) outlining the application process for its Covid-19 social relief grant, which was recently reinstated. However, the post is a hoax; the agency distanced itself from the notice and cautioned individuals to not divulge personal information to unknown websites.
August 4, 2021
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271. Testing by Canadian doctor does not prove Covid-19 shots cause clots
A Canadian physician claims in a video clip shared on social media that most people who receive widely-used Covid-19 vaccines will experience blood clots. But experts say his conclusion stems from an analysis that was not published in accordance with scientific method, was not peer-reviewed, and does not prove the shots are causing clots.
August 3, 2021
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270. Image of packaging for AstraZeneca vaccine was digitally altered with false date
A screenshot of a package for the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca has been shared on Facebook in South Africa alongside a claim that a purported date stamp on the box shows it was manufactured in July 2018 – more than a year before the novel coronavirus was discovered. But the claim is false: the image of the packaging has been digitally altered to include a false date stamp.
August 3, 2021
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269. US health agencies are not scrapping common coronavirus test
Social media posts claim American health authorities are revoking authorization for widely used coronavirus tests because they are inaccurate. This is false; one US agency said it made no such announcement and the tests are the "gold standard" for Covid-19 diagnosis, while another said a requested change in authorization cited in some posts was not due to poor performance.
July 29, 2021
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268. mRNA Covid-19 vaccines do not contain cells from aborted human foetuses
A video shared hundreds of times on Facebook in South Africa and Zambia claims that mRNA Covid-19 vaccines contain cells taken from aborted human foetuses. The claim is false: the World Health Organization and the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) in South Africa told AFP Fact Check that Covid-19 vaccines do not contain cells from aborted foetuses or other human tissue.
July 26, 2021
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267. Ivermectin has not been approved as a Covid-19 treatment in South Africa
A screenshot of a tweet stating that the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has approved ivermectin for use to treat Covid-19 patients has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook. But the claim is false: SAHPRA has not approved ivermectin as a Covid-19 treatment and only permits its use as a topical cream to treat skin inflammation among adults. Furthermore, a doctor must apply to use ivermectin to treat skin conditions in humans.
July 21, 2021
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266. YouTube video spreads misinformation about Ugandan leader’s “death”
A video claiming that Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni died after being admitted to a Kenyan hospital has been viewed thousands of times and shared in multiple Facebook posts. The claim is false; Museveni has made several public appearances since the rumours surfaced online and dismissed the rumours on camera.
July 9, 2021
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265. There is no evidence that Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has been admitted to the hospital
Posts claiming Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni was airlifted to Germany after suddenly collapsing have been viewed thousands of times online. The rumour, which surfaced on June 27, 2021, is false. On the same day, Museveni delivered a speech during the opening of the World Health Summit at Uganda's Makerere University, which was broadcast live. AFP Fact Check has seen a recording of the address. In addition, the Ugandan leader also attended a virtual UN summit of African heads of state on July 1, 2021.
July 5, 2021
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264. Facebook posts falsely claim video shows empty casket intended for Ugandan Covid-19 victim
A video viewed thousands of times has been shared on Facebook with the claim that it shows Ugandan officials putting an empty coffin, intended for a Covid-19 victim, into the ground. The claim is false; part of the corpse’s head can be seen at one point in the blurry recording, while the dead man’s daughter confirmed to AFP Fact Check that her father’s body was in the coffin when he was buried.
June 30, 2021
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263. Posts falsely claim leading French economist Jacques Attali discusses depopulation in a book
A post on Instagram claims that French economist Jacques Attali discussed depopulating the planet by orchestrating a pandemic in his book “The Future of Life” published in 1981. This is false: while Attali was interviewed in a book called "Future Life" (first published in French as "L'Avenir de La Vie" in 1981), he did not write it, and he does not mention depopulation in his interview.
June 30, 2021
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262. Facebook users share fabricated 'UK lockdown' letter falsely linked to top British scientist
Multiple Facebook posts have shared a purported letter from a top British scientist detailing plans for a “permanent lockdown of the UK'. The posts are misleading: the scientist's employer, a British university, said the purported letter was "disinformation". The posts contained a link to the anonymous online forum 4Chan, which regularly promotes conspiracy theories. As of June 29, 2021 the UK government has signalled that it plans to further relax pandemic restrictions in England.
June 29, 2021
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261. British Airways did not mandate vaccines for pilots
Social media users claim that British Airways pilots died from Covid-19 vaccines, which some who made the online allegations say the airline mandated, leading to talks with the UK government over whether pilots can fly after inoculation. While the company experienced the loss of several pilots, it denies any link between the deaths, does not insist on vaccination for those who fly their planes, and both a regulatory agency and the company denied being in “crisis talks.”
June 25, 2021
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260. Immunologist’s misinterpretation of data fuels misleading Covid-19 vaccine claims
Social media users are sharing a radio interview in which a Canadian immunologist claims that widely used Covid-19 vaccines are dangerous. But a pharmaceutical company document and Harvard study presented by the professor as evidence have been misinterpreted, and experts said the jabs are working safely and effectively as intended.
June 23, 2021
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259. Emmanuel Macron was not slapped for disregarding Covid-19 sanitary protocols
Posts circulating in several African countries claim that French president Emmanuel Macron was slapped across the face for not respecting social distancing and other restrictions in place to reduce the spread of Covid-19. According to the social media posts, Damien Tarel, the man who slapped France’s leader, was given only a three-month prison sentence and a fine of 1,500 euros because Macron broke social distancing protocols. This is false. Although Tarel slapped the French president, it was not because Macron violated social distancing protocols, and Tarel’s lawyer did not present any such argument in court. Furthermore, the man was handed an 18-month prison sentence, 14 of which were suspended.
June 16, 2021
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258. Footballer Christian Eriksen did not collapse because of a Covid-19 vaccine
Social media posts shared around the world claim that Danish footballer Christian Eriksen collapsed mid-match due to a Covid-19 vaccine. The claim is false: the director of Eriksen’s club Inter Milan and the Danish Football Association said the player has not been vaccinated. The cause of his collapse is not known, as of June 16, 2021.
June 16, 2021
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257. EFF party leader did not file lawsuit to shut South Africa’s schools amid Covid-19 surge
A post shared hundreds of times on Facebook in South Africa claims that schools in the country will be closed after politician Julius Malema won a court case forcing the government to shutter classrooms due to a surge in Covid-19 infections. But this is false: the South African education department refuted the claim that schools have been ordered shut, and a spokeswoman for Malema’s party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), said that neither he nor his party had filed any such lawsuit.
June 16, 2021
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256. Online posts falsely claim Sweden stopped using PCR tests for Covid-19 in May 2021
A claim has been shared in multiple Facebook posts since May 2021 that Sweden stopped using PCR tests for diagnosing Covid-19 as these tests are purportedly unable to detect contagiousness. The claim is false: Sweden continues to use PCR tests in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19 as of June 4, 2021. Swedish health authorities use clinical criteria -- not PCR tests -- to assess whether someone infected with the virus is still contagious.
June 4, 2021
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255. US military did not arrest Trump pandemic task force coordinator
Online articles claim the US military arrested former White House coronavirus response coordinator Deborah Birx for lying to the American public about the efficacy of face masks during the pandemic. This is false; the Department of Defense says it has no knowledge of Birx’s arrest, and that the military does not have the authority to detain her.
June 3, 2021
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254. Only a few schools have shut so far in South Africa as third Covid-19 wave looms
Multiple Facebook posts shared thousands of times claim that all schools in South Africa are closing this week. The claim is false: while a handful of schools were closed due to rising Covid-19 cases ahead of a looming third wave, the education department refuted the claims as false on May 25, 2021.
May 26, 2021
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253. US government data does not show Covid-19 vaccine ‘death toll’
An article claims that US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data shows that Covid-19 shots have killed more people than all the other vaccines in the last 20 years combined. This is false; the data does not show the “death toll” from the vaccines as the article claims, and instead includes reported fatalities that occurred after inoculation, regardless of the cause.
May 21, 2021
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252. This video shows a Hindu festival, not people smashing idols because of Covid-19
A video shared hundreds of times on Facebook in South Africa claims that people in India are throwing away religious status because the deities supposedly failed to protect them from the Covid-19 surge sweeping the country. But the claim is false: the clip dates back to 2015 - four years before the pandemic erupted in December 2019. It shows a ritual during a Hindu festival dedicated to the Hindu god Ganesh.
May 17, 2021
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251. Posts misrepresent US study on dangers of coronavirus spike protein
Multiple Facebook posts have shared parts of a study by US-based scientists that analysed spike proteins of the novel coronavirus. The posts suggest the study is evidence that some Covid-19 vaccines could be harmful. The claim is misleading: both the research institute that published the study and independent experts told AFP that it did not show Covid-19 vaccines are harmful.
May 13, 2021
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250. This video has circulated in posts since March 2020 about a Covid-19 stunt in Jordan
As violence escalated in Gaza in May 2021, multiple online posts shared a video that they claimed shows Palestinians staging a fake funeral in Gaza in a bid to gain world sympathy. The claim is false: the video has circulated online since March 2020 in unrelated posts about a Covid-19 lockdown stunt in Jordan.
May 13, 2021
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249. US regulators have already granted 'emergency use' authorisation for three Covid-19 vaccines
A video clip has been shared thousands of times on Facebook along with a claim that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has refused to approve Covid-19 vaccines. This is false; the claim twists the testimony of a former FDA commissioner who assured the public of their safety. The agency has since granted “emergency use authorisation” for three Covid-19 vaccines and millions of Americans continue to be inoculated.
May 11, 2021
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247. Fake US CDC graphic about 'vaccine refusal' circulates online
An infographic that carries the logo of the US Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention (CDC) warns refusing the coronavirus vaccine "is a form of racism" because it "harms people of color”. The graphic, however, has been manipulated: it was not issued by the CDC.
May 3, 2021
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246. Misleading flu statistics fuel ‘fake pandemic’ claims online
A graphic purporting to show that flu cases have fallen dramatically since 2020 has been shared by Facebook users worldwide alongside a claim it proves health authorities are falsely passing influenza cases off as Covid-19 cases. The graphic, however, has been shared in a misleading context: it compares confirmed positive flu tests in the United States for 2020-21 with estimated cases for 2019-20. Health experts told AFP that the decline in flu cases since 2020 was likely due to lockdowns, mask-wearing and better hand hygiene during the coronavirus pandemic.
April 28, 2021
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245. The US Supreme Court did not rule against mandatory vaccination
A post shared on Facebook in South Africa claims that the US Supreme Court “overturned” mandatory vaccination following a lawsuit filed by attorney Robert F. Kennedy Jr. This is false; the precedent for mandatory vaccination dates back to a Supreme Court decision from 1905 and has not been challenged since. Furthermore, getting vaccinated against Covid-19 is currently not mandatory in the United States.
April 23, 2021
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244. Black threads in face masks are harmless textile fibres, scientists say
Several videos showing close-up shots of face masks have been shared online alongside a claim that the masks' black threads are “worms” or “parasites”. The claim is false, according to scientists who told AFP that the threads are harmless fibres.
April 13, 2021
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243. Canada’s federal government does not mandate vaccination
Social media posts claim a Canadian lawyer won a case against “forced immunization” and the result now has the force of federal law. This is false; vaccination is not mandatory at the federal level in Canada, provinces that require proof of immunization for school attendance allow exemptions, and two vaccine-related cases in which the attorney is involved remain unresolved.
April 13, 2021
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242. This image of a Guinean hospital has been used in multiple false posts
An image showing sick patients lying on the floor of a hospital hallway receiving intravenous (IV) treatment has been used in multiple Facebook posts alongside claims that the facility is located either in Uganda, Mali or Nigeria. In reality, AFP Fact Check found that the picture was taken inside the N'zerekore hospital in Guinea. A medical worker at the facility and a former AFP journalist, who covered an anti-ebola vaccine campaign at the hospital, both corroborated our findings.
April 13, 2021
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241. Video does not show French police dropping handcuffs in lockdown protest
Facebook, Instagram and TikTok posts circulating in April 2021 share a video they claim shows French police throwing their handcuffs to the ground to protest coronavirus lockdowns. The claim is false: the footage actually shows officers protesting a perceived lack of support from the government over police brutality complaints in June 2020.
April 10, 2021
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240. Facebook posts misleadingly claim only one politician has died from Covid-19
Multiple Facebook posts have shared a claim that “not a single politician in the world” died of Covid-19 except John Magufuli, a former president of Tanzania known for downplaying the scale of the pandemic. The claim is misleading: at least eight serving and former politicians globally have died of Covid-19, according to an AFP tally. Tanzanian authorities said Magufuli died of a heart condition, while his opponents insisted he contracted the coronavirus before his death.
April 7, 2021
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239. Ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine are not proven Covid-19 treatments
Two videos shared hundreds of times on Facebook feature a Kenyan doctor alleging that two drugs -- ivermectin on its own and hydroxychloroquine in combination with zinc and azithromycin -- are effective in treating Covid-19. But the claims are false: there is no scientific evidence that either medication can help treat the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
April 2, 2021
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238. Facebook account impersonating Ugandan newspaper promotes fabricated job listings
A Facebook account purporting to be run by Ugandan newspaper Daily Monitor is spreading the claim that the country’s Covid-19 task force is hiring more staff. This is false; the account is fake and not affiliated with the newspaper. Furthermore, AFP Fact Check confirmed with Uganda’s Ministry of Health that the job listings are a hoax.
March 29, 2021
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237. Disneyland has not banned screaming on its rides
Facebook posts shared more than 150,000 times claim that California theme park Disneyland banned screaming on its rides. This is false; a Walt Disney Company spokesperson said it does not have such a policy, and there is no mention of it on the park’s official website, which lists mask-wearing and other measures to help combat Covid-19 when it reopens.
March 29, 2021
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236. Anti-lockdown group promotes misleading claims about face masks as 'fact check'
A Facebook post in South Africa makes several claims about masks, including that they are ineffective in preventing the spread of Covid-19 in the general population and that they inhibit children’s social development. But these allegations are missing context: health experts say masks reduce virus transmission when worn properly. AFP Fact Check has previously debunked similar claims about masks affecting children’s psychological evolution.
March 23, 2021
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235. Covid-19 vaccination does not invalidate US life insurance policies
Social media posts say that life insurance companies will not pay claims if a person dies within one year of receiving a vaccination against Covid-19. This is false, according to the organization that represents American life insurance firms and several US state regulators.
March 19, 2021
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234. Image from 2018 misrepresented as Ugandan girls returning to school after the COVID-19 shutdown
A photo has been shared on Facebook alongside a claim that it shows students in Uganda returning to class after a Covid-19 shutdown. This is false: the girls in the photograph, taken in Tanzania in 2018, were expelled from school for falling pregnant and are seen dropping off their children at a care centre.
March 15, 2021
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233. Doctored newspaper front page claims medics advise against Covid-19 jab
An image has been shared in multiple Facebook posts that purportedly shows a headline in the February 16, 2021 edition of The Times that reads “Doctors and experts advise against taking experimental jab”. The posts circulated amid widespread mistrust and misinformation around Covid-19 vaccines. However, the image is a fabrication; The Times’s archive shows a different front page on February 16 and the newspaper published an article calling out the story as “fake”.
March 15, 2021
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232. Catholic doctors in Kenya reject Covid-19 vaccines, repeat false claims in statement
The Kenya Catholic Doctors Association recently issued a press statement discouraging people from getting Covid-19 vaccines, calling them “unnecessary” and “unsafe”. The press release, however, was wrong on a number of points, including claims that steam and hydroxychloroquine can treat Covid-19. The document also punted population control conspiracies; AFP Fact Check has previously debunked these and other claims. The World Health Organization (WHO) dismissed the statement and assured the public that the vaccines were safe.
March 15, 2021
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231. Canadian doctors make inaccurate Covid-19 claims in video
A video titled “Canadian Doctors Speak Out,” which claims to offer the top reasons not to fear Covid-19, has been shared thousands of times on social media. But public health experts said it includes misleading claims about variants of the disease and immunity, and recommends treatments that have not been proven effective against the virus.
March 12, 2021
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230. David Icke interview resurfaces with multiple false claims about Covid-19
A video of British author David Icke talking about Covid-19 has been viewed millions of times since it was first published in April 2020, and recently picked up steam again on social media. The hour-long clip shared on Facebook is from a longer video, since removed from YouTube. In the clip, Icke, who is known for promoting conspiracy theories, presents himself as a researcher and claims that the Covid-19 pandemic was orchestrated by supernatural forces attempting to “dismantle” the world economic system and “control” the population using new technologies like 5G. But this popular conspiracy theory is based on false and misleading claims, as several experts told AFP Fact Check.
March 8, 2021
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229. This is a manipulated picture that the Singaporean hospital has rejected as ‘fake news’
A picture has been shared widely on Facebook and Twitter in Singapore alongside a claim that it shows a Covid-19 vaccination certificate that contained a warning that the shots will prolong erections and increase penis size. The claim is false; the hospital denied the allegation and genuine vaccine recipients contain no mention of the warning.
March 8, 2021
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228. Post falsely claims Johnson & Johnson didn't update public after vaccine trial volunteer fell ill
A Facebook post claims that vaccine maker Johnson & Johnson has failed to update the public on why “volunteers” fell ill during the trials of its Covid-19 shot in 2020, an event that brought a temporary halt to clinical testing. This claim is misleading; only one trial participant reportedly fell sick, and while the illness remains unexplained, the company released a statement of its findings in October 2020 that ruled out the vaccine as a cause.
March 4, 2021
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227. Inhaling steam from herbal tea does not help treat or prevent Covid-19
A post shared hundreds of times on social media in South Africa claims that inhaling steam from a tea made from guava leaves, eucalyptus and an artemisia variety known as mhlonyane will "kill" the virus that causes Covid-19. But this is false: the World Health Organization (WHO) does not recommend steam inhalation to treat or prevent Covid-19.
March 4, 2021
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226. Video shows a patient having a seizure at a hospital in Argentina, not a Covid-19 vaccine recipient
A clip of a woman convulsing on the ground has spread across social media worldwide in multiple languages alongside a claim that she is suffering from side effects after receiving a Covid-19 vaccine. But this claim is false: the video showed a patient suffering a seizure at the Larcade hospital near Buenos Aires in Argentina, and doctors there told AFP that the woman had not been vaccinated against Covid-19.
March 4, 2021
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225. President Cyril Ramaphosa did not receive his Covid-19 vaccine with a capped needle
Social media posts have claimed that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa received a Covid-19 shot with a syringe that still had the needle covered by a cap. This is false; various images and videos taken from different angles show Ramaphosa was vaccinated with an exposed needle.
February 24, 2021
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224. US health authority has not established a link between Covid-19 vaccines and reported deaths
A Facebook post shared in South Africa alleges that the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines have “killed” hundreds of people in the United States, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But this claim is misleading; as of February 22, 2021, the US national public health institute said the reported deaths had “no link with vaccination”. The CDC considers both Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines “safe and effective”.
February 22, 2021
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223. Beware of fake websites claiming to give out Covid-19 aid on behalf of Nigeria's government
A website shared thousands of times on Facebook is inviting Nigerians to apply for financial help from a Covid-19 survival fund provided by the government of Africa’s most populous country. But AFP Fact Check found the site is a fraudulent version of the official state aid portal, which features the government’s web domain “gov.ng”.
February 19, 2021
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222. Misleading claims about pharmaceutical company’s Covid vaccine circulate in South Africa
Numerous posts on social media claim that an Indian company has sold South Africa “a less effective” Covid-19 vaccine nearing expiry and which the Swiss have since banned. The claims are misleading; the vaccines developed by AstraZeneca had already been ordered by South Africa’s government before a recent study by a local university questioned their efficacy against a new coronavirus variant, while Switzerland has only suspended approval of the drug pending the outcome of more research.
February 11, 2021
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221. Facebook posts falsely report 'arrest' of discredited US researcher who featured in 'Plandemic' video
Multiple Facebook posts shared in February 2021 claim police have detained discredited US researcher Judy Mikovits for "discovering evidence that deadly retroviruses are transmitted through vaccines". This is false: Mikovits has not been arrested in 2021. She was arrested and briefly jailed in 2011 for unlawfully taking data from her former employer, court documents show. The charges against her were dropped in 2012, according to US media reports. A 2009 study she co-authored on retroviruses did not focus on vaccines and was retracted. There are no credible reports that Mikovits has been detained in 2021.
February 9, 2021
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220. Children of billionaire philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates have all been vaccinated
A now-deleted video shared on Facebook claimed that billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates had refused to inoculate his children, despite being an ardent supporter of vaccines. This is false: his wife Melinda Gates has previously confirmed that their three children have all been vaccinated. The couple's foundation also told AFP Fact that the kids were vaccinated.
February 8, 2021
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219. False social media posts claim WHO advised against wearing face masks in 2021, despite raging pandemic
Multiple Facebook posts shared hundreds of times in January 2021 claim the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued new advice against wearing face masks during the coronavirus pandemic. The posts contain a screenshot of an article that purports to report on a WHO press conference held on January 22, 2021. The claim is false: as of February 4, 2021, the WHO recommends that people should wear face masks during the pandemic, as well as adhering to social distancing guidelines and washing their hands regularly. The screenshot in the misleading posts shows an article published on January 25, 2021 that was later updated to include the WHO's latest advice, outlining how wearing face masks can provide some protection from the coronavirus for the general population.
February 4, 2021
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218. A new variant of the coronavirus caused South Africa’s second Covid-19 wave, not face masks
A Facebook post claims that the second wave of Covid-19 in South Africa was caused by people wearing masks rather than the coronavirus pathogen itself. The post relies on a video that purports to simulate a carbon dioxide test, but experts dismissed the demonstration as inaccurate, reaffirming that masks are safe to wear and they remain one of several recommended preventative measures against the disease. The latest Covid-19 surge in the country was caused by a new variant of the coronavirus.
February 4, 2021
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217. Video of a nurse trying to give a fearful man an injection has circulated since 2018
A video of a man crying in fear while a nurse attempts to give him an injection has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple Facebook, Twitter and YouTube posts alongside a claim that it shows Thailand's health minister receiving the Covid-19 vaccine. The claim is false: the video has circulated in reports since February 2018 about a nurse trying to give a man in China an injection. In the clip, the nurse and the man can be heard speaking Mandarin.
February 2, 2021
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216. There’s no scientific proof that a tonic of onions, ginger, garlic and lemon can cure Covid-19
A video shared thousands of times on Facebook claims that a tonic made of onions, ginger, garlic, lemon and hot water can cure Covid-19. This is false; health professionals, including those at the World Health Organization (WHO), have repeatedly refuted these claims.
January 29, 2021
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215. Pfizer’s CEO said he will get Covid-19 jab – when it’s his rightful turn
An extract from a TV interview with Pfizer's chief executive Albert Bourla is being shared online alongside the claim that the head of the pharmaceutical giant refused to take the Covid-19 vaccine manufactured by his company because “my type is not recommended”. This is misleading; Bourla only said he will not jump the queue to get the shot. He will wait until his age group is eligible; current government guidelines prioritize high-risk individuals and seniors.
January 29, 2021
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214. The US National Institutes of Health did not recommend ivermectin to treat Covid-19 patients
A Facebook post claiming the anti-parasite drug ivermectin has been “officially recommended” by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to treat Covid-19 in the US has been shared more than 100 times in South Africa. The claim is false; the NIH confirmed to AFP Fact Check that there is not yet enough data to “recommend either for or against the use of ivermectin for the treatment of Covid-19” in the US. Furthermore, it is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that approves drugs in the US, not the NIH.
January 28, 2021
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213. Social media posts misrepresent Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccinations in Germany
A screenshot of an article about the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine being administered in Germany has been shared repeatedly in multiple Facebook and Twitter posts that emphasise ten people died after receiving a vaccine dose. The posts present the vaccine drive in a misleading context: multiple medical experts have said the current evidence indicates the deaths were not directly linked to the vaccines. As of January 27, 2021, scientists say there is no evidence that links the deaths with Covid-19 vaccines.
January 28, 2021
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212. Debunked claim of children dying in Guinea from Covid-19 vaccine resurfaces
A YouTube video shared hundreds of times has resurfaced with an old claim that two children in Guinea died after receiving a Covid-19 vaccine. This is false; the video was based on a news report about Guinean children who fell ill in March 2019 after taking anti-parasite drugs. AFP Fact Check previously debunked this claim in May 2020, months before any Covid-19 vaccine contenders had been approved.
January 28, 2021
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211. Fraudulent Facebook posts claim the World Bank is giving loans to small businesses in Africa
Facebook posts inviting small business owners impacted by Covid-19 in Africa to apply for loans from the World Bank through the International Finance Corporation (IFC) have been shared hundreds of times. But the claim is false; the World Bank confirmed to AFP Fact Check that the posts emanated from fraudulent accounts linked to cybercrime attacks targeting the institution.
January 27, 2021
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210. Hall of Famer Hank Aaron’s death unrelated to Covid-19 vaccination
Social media posts and an online article link Atlanta baseball legend Hank Aaron’s death to his Moderna Covid-19 vaccination, with some posts seeking to raise fears among Black people about the safety of vaccines against the disease. But the vaccines have been tested for safety, and a medical examiner as well as Morehouse School of Medicine, where Aaron was vaccinated, said his death was unrelated to the immunization.
January 27, 2021
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209. False claim circulates in South Africa linking AstraZeneca vaccine to China
A Facebook post shared by a widely followed account in the name of a South African politician claims that pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca - whose Covid-19 vaccines are set to be rolled out in the country - is owned by a rich Chinese man. The claim is false; AstraZeneca is a listed British-Swedish company with its headquarters in England. The firm’s chief executive is French and its major shareholders are investment firms based in Western countries. The expected vaccines are also being manufactured in India, not China.
January 26, 2021
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208. Footage of movie props and flu shot clips used to falsely claim world leaders' Covid-19 vaccines were 'staged'
A video has been viewed thousands of times in Facebook, Twitter and YouTube posts that claim it shows a man explaining how retractable syringes are used to stage the Covid-19 vaccinations of world leaders. The claim is false: the footage of a retractable syringe has been taken from the TikTok account of a movie prop master. Two of the other clips used in the misleading video actually show public figures getting flu vaccines in 2019.
January 19, 2021
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207. Hoax CNN article circulates online that doctors ‘encourage Covid-19 vaccine injections in penis’
Multiple Facebook posts shared hundreds of times in Myanmar claim that doctors encourage injecting Covid-19 vaccines into the penis. The posts shared a screenshot of a purported report from US broadcaster CNN. The claim is false: the image in the posts has been fabricated and does not show a genuine CNN report. No credible studies suggest that Covid-19 vaccines should be injected into the penis. In response to the misleading posts, the chairman of Myanmar's National Immunization Technical Advisory Group told AFP that the claim was false.
January 14, 2021
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206. South African newspaper clarifies it used photo of British woman receiving Covid-19 vaccine in satirical article
Screenshots of two news reports have been shared repeatedly in multiple Facebook posts that claim they show a woman receiving a Covid-19 vaccine in the UK and South Africa. The posts suggest the image has been staged by the media to mislead the public about the coronavirus pandemic. The claim is false: the British woman pictured in the posts received a Covid-19 vaccine in England in December 2020, according to a Getty Images photo. The other screenshot in the posts shows a satirical article from a South African newspaper about a woman receiving the vaccine in the South African town of Ventersdorp that was “not meant to be interpreted literally", its editor-in-chief told AFP.
January 13, 2021
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205. Obama has publicly endorsed Covid-19 vaccines and not warned Africans against them
A screenshot circulating on social networks since at least April 2020 claims that Barack Obama has urged Africans to reject Covid-19 vaccines. This is false: AFP Fact Check found no official trace of any such statement by the former US president. In a recent tweet, Obama said in fact that getting vaccinated against Covid-19 was “one of the most important things” to do.
January 7, 2021
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204. This video shares a misleading claim from an Austrian politician that 'Coca-Cola tested positive for Covid-19'
A video of an Austrian politician purporting to show that a glass of Coca-Cola tested positive for Covid-19 in a rapid antigen test has been viewed thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The posts suggest the video is evidence that the tests are unreliable at detecting Covid-19. The claim is misleading; experts told AFP the test carried out by the politician in the clip was not performed correctly. In response to the misleading claim, the manufacturer of the rapid antigen test said the same test actually returned a negative result for Coca-Cola when performed correctly.
December 28, 2020
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203. Photo of bloody hospital ward in USA has circulated online since 2019 in reports about gun violence
An image has been shared hundreds of times in multiple Facebook and Twitter posts that claim it shows a television report about violence breaking out at a US hospital after patients were vaccinated against the novel coronavirus. The claim is false: the photo in the purported report has circulated online since February 2019 in reports about US gun violence, one year before the coronavirus pandemic. The image has been manipulated for comedic effect to include a false chyron and has been shared on joke websites.
December 24, 2020
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202. Needle not capped when Pence received Covid-19 vaccine
Social media posts claim US Vice President Mike Pence faked receiving a Covid-19 vaccine using a syringe that had the needle covered by a cap. This is false; an image of Pence being vaccinated shows that the needle was exposed.
December 23, 2020
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201. Pelosi, Pence did not fake Covid-19 vaccinations using capped needles
Social media posts claim US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and US Vice President Mike Pence pretended to receive Covid-19 vaccines using syringes that had caps over the needles. This is false; images of the two politicians being vaccinated show that the needles were uncovered when the shots were administered.
December 21, 2020
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200. Old photos circulated in misleading social media posts about Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine trial volunteers developing facial paralysis
An image has been shared tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Twitter and Facebook alongside a claim it shows three of four clinical trial volunteers who have developed Bell's palsy after receiving doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine. The claim is misleading; this image has circulated online since at least January 2020, some three months before Pfizer-BioNTech began clinical trials of their vaccine in late April. While a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) document states that four participants developed Bell's palsy during the trials, investigators found "no clear basis upon which to conclude a causal relationship" between the vaccine and the condition.
December 18, 2020
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199. This is not a family photo of Covid-19 vaccine inventor Ugur Sahin
A photo has been shared tens thousands of times on multiple posts on Facebook and Twitter, alongside a claim that it shows an old family photo of Turkish-German scientist Ugur Sahin, who developed a Covid-19 vaccine. The claim is false; this photo does not show Sahin nor his family.
December 11, 2020
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198. Covid-19 vaccines don’t change your DNA
As Britain became the first Western country to roll out a mass coronavirus vaccine campaign, articles surfaced claiming various high-profile figures like Bill Gates and Robert F Kennedy Jr had warned the jabs can change a person's DNA. This is false; while vaccines send genetic instructions to the body, these disappear quickly and do not alter your DNA.
December 10, 2020
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197. Covid-19 vaccine not shown to cause female sterilization
Social media posts claiming that a Pfizer researcher found that the company’s Covid-19 vaccine will lead to infertility in women have been shared thousands of times. But independent medical experts and Pfizer said no sterilization was documented during clinical trials, and the researcher’s LinkedIn profile says he has not worked at the American pharmaceutical company since 2011.
December 9, 2020
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196. Canadian doctor falsely claims pandemic is a ‘hoax’
Facebook posts of a doctor calling the Covid-19 pandemic a “hoax” in remarks to the Edmonton City Council have been shared thousands of times since November 13, 2020. Contrary to accepted medical advice, Roger Hodkinson falsely claimed masks and social distancing are useless, in remarks refuted by Canadian authorities and medical experts.
November 30, 2020
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195. Bill Gates did not say 700,000 people would be killed or permanently disabled by a Covid-19 vaccine
An article shared thousands of times on Facebook claimed that Microsoft founder Bill Gates said there will be 700,000 “victims” of death or disability from a Covid-19 vaccine. This claim is misleading; in an interview earlier this year, Gates said the side effects of a vaccine potentially could affect up to 700,000 people. But at no point did he say these side effects would be fatal or cause permanent damage.
November 27, 2020
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194. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa didn't tell world leaders Covid-19 vaccines will be mandatory
Posts shared on Facebook claim that South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa told a G20 meeting that a Covid-19 vaccine would be mandatory and “everyone will have” it. This is false; Ramaphosa was actually asking leaders to ensure that all countries would have access to the new vaccines once they become available.
November 26, 2020
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193. Scam alert: Africa’s richest man is not running a Facebook giveaway for youths affected by Covid-19
Widely-shared posts on Facebook claim that Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, is giving away money, food and other assistance to 10,000 youths who have lost loved ones to the Covid-19 pandemic. This is misleading; the Nigerian billionaire has committed hundreds of millions of naira to help Nigerians recover from the health and economic effects of Covid-19, but he is not running a giveaway on Facebook.
November 18, 2020
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192. "World Doctors Alliance" shares false and misleading claims about the Covid-19 pandemic
A video shared thousands of times on Facebook shows a panel of medical practicioners presenting various claims about Covid-19, with one denying that the pandemic exists and calling the virus “normal flu”. Experts have used scientific evidence repeatedly to dismiss both these claims – and others in the video – as false, as waves of new infections surge around the world.
November 17, 2020
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191. WHO head did not say he tested positive for Covid-19, only that he was quarantining after a contact tested positive
Reports in Nigerian media claiming that the World Health Organization’s (WHO) director-general said he had tested positive for Covid-19 were shared in multiple social media posts in the country. However, it is not what Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus actually said, as the article itself goes on to explain: He tweeted that he was identified as a contact person of someone who had tested positive -- not that he had tested positive himself. The WHO also refuted the claim.
November 2, 2020
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190. Experts say wearing face masks does not cause neurological damage
Posts based on a video by a German neurologist have been shared thousands of times on Facebook making several claims about the alleged dangers of wearing face masks, notably that rebreathing oxygen in the mask leads to neurological damage. According to experts, this is false, since these masks allow fresh air to pass through and oxygen to be inhaled.
October 26, 2020
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189. Doctored photo telling Africans to avoid Covid-19 vaccine circulates online
A photo showing a doctor holding up a sign has been making rounds on social networks with claims he is urging Africans to refuse the Covid-19 vaccine. This is false; the image was doctored and the original photo shows a medic holding a sign asking people to stay home to prevent the spread of the virus. There is currently no Covid-19 vaccine.
October 12, 2020
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188. COVID-19 "vaccines" are not for sale in Western countries
Photos of alleged Covid-19 “vaccines” are being shared on social media with claims that the drugs are not for sale in the US, Canada, and the European Union because they are unsafe and still undergoing testing in developing countries. This is false: these products are not vaccines. They are generic forms of remdesivir, an anti-viral drug recommended for the treatment of Covid-19 and which is sold under a different name in developed markets.
September 30, 2020
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187. Poster shared in South Africa makes false claims about face masks
A poster that makes multiple claims about the use and legality of face masks during the novel coronavirus pandemic has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook in South Africa. It comes after a high court ruled in June that the country’s lockdown laws were unconstitutional. But the regulations remain in place and masks are still mandatory in public pending the outcome of the government’s appeal, experts say. The poster also makes a series of other claims previously debunked by AFP Fact Check.
September 25, 2020
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186. Misleading Facebook post claims Bill Gates is making $200 billion from vaccine
A video viewed thousands of times on Facebook claims that billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates admitted to making $200 billion from his charitable foundation’s investment in vaccines. The claim is misleading; the 26-second clip has been cut from a longer TV interview, where Gates estimated the global social and economic benefits from his foundation’s $10 billion investment. An official at the US think tank that calculated the $200 billion return on investment told AFP Fact Check that the claim was “an incorrect interpretation of the analysis”.
September 23, 2020
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185. Experts dismiss claim that holding your breath helps test for COVID-19
A video purporting to be from an Indian hospital alleges you can find out if you have COVID-19 by simply holding your breath. But the claim is false; the WHO and a pulmonologist told AFP Fact Check that the technique cannot diagnose the illness caused by the novel coronavirus. The Indian hospital mentioned in the post has also denied any link to the video.
September 7, 2020
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184. Misleading claim circulates about closures and layoffs at high street shops during coronavirus pandemic
Social media posts shared thousands of times since at least July 2020 claim that several high street shops have closed their stores, laid off staff or discontinued production due to the coronavirus pandemic. The claim is misleading; representatives for the high street shops listed told AFP there were inaccuracies in the posts.
September 2, 2020
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183. All grades in South Africa are scheduled to complete the school year, not repeat it
Facebook posts shared in South Africa claim that some grades will be repeating the current school year in 2021. However, this is false; no such announcement has been made, and the school year calendar has in fact been amended by the education department in an attempt to recover the time lost due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
September 2, 2020
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182. Trump retweets false claim that CDC cut Covid-19 death toll by 94 percent
Social media posts shared thousands of times and retweeted by President Donald Trump claim the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cut the national Covid-19 death toll by 94 percent, citing a CDC comorbidity chart. The claim is false; the head of the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) said nearly all died from Covid-19 but the disease usually causes additional conditions, which should also be recorded.
August 31, 2020
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181. Video does not show a Covid-19 patient who was nearly buried alive
A video viewed thousands of times claims to show a Covid-19 patient in a Kenyan village who was “nearly buried alive” during his own funeral. The claim is false; county officials confirmed to AFP Fact Check that while the video was indeed taken during a burial ceremony, the man seen lying on the ground wearing protective gear had fainted and is a relative of the deceased.
August 27, 2020
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180. Taking your temperature with an infrared thermometer does not damage the pineal gland
A Facebook post shared thousands of times claims that taking a person’s temperature with an infrared thermometer near their head risks damaging the pineal gland, which is located in the brain. This is false, said neuroscience experts, who explained that this type of thermometer does not emit infrared radiation but captures wavelengths from the body.
August 25, 2020
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179. New ‘Plandemic’ film promotes coronavirus conspiracy theory
A film titled “Plandemic: Indoctornation” promotes the idea that the coronavirus pandemic ravaging countries around the world is the result of an elaborate conspiracy. It makes multiple unfounded claims, including that the deadly virus was designed in a lab and global health leaders knew the crisis would occur, and also seeks to stoke fears about vaccines.
August 21, 2020
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178. The World Health Organization has not been kicked out of Tanzania
An article claiming that the Tanzanian government has kicked the World Health Organization (WHO) out of the country has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook. The claim is false; there is no evidence of any such directive and a WHO representative in Tanzania confirmed that the office is still operational.
August 21, 2020
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177. Misleading claims resurface online about hydroxychloroquine's efficacy against COVID-19
Facebook posts claiming France and South Korea have approved the use of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of the novel coronavirus have surfaced online in Africa barely a month after Dr. Stella Immanuel, a Houston-based physician, claimed she had successfully treated more than 350 COVID-19 patients using the drug in combination. But these claims are misleading; authorities in both countries issued statements against the prescription of hydroxychloroquine on safety grounds months ago.
August 20, 2020
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176. Woman is an ordinary volunteer in Russia’s coronavirus vaccine trial, not Putin's daughter
Shortly after President Vladimir Putin declared Russia the first country to approve a vaccine for the novel coronavirus, a photo began circulating in Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts that claimed it showed Putin’s daughter receiving the jab. The claim is misleading; the woman in the image has been identified by Russian state media as Natalia, a volunteer in the vaccine trial; the images in the misleading post correspond to video of the vaccine trial that has circulated online since June; Natalia’s features do not correspond to publicly available images of Putin’s two daughters.
August 17, 2020
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175. Face mask use does not lead to Legionnaires’ disease
Posts shared thousands of times on social media claim Legionnaires' disease, a serious type of pneumonia, can be contracted through reusable face masks, implying that it could be mistaken for COVID-19. This is false; experts say Legionnaires’ disease cannot be caught or spread via masks, and that it is not related to spikes in COVID-19.
August 14, 2020
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174. Anti-vaccine video falsely claims to expose a purported Bill Gates plan to depopulate Africa
A YouTube video featuring Harvard law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz has been viewed thousands of times in posts that claim it exposes a plan by American billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates to forcefully vaccinate and “depopulate Africans” amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. But this is false; Dershowitz was talking about the people of New York while answering questions about the constitutionality of mandatory vaccination under US law. He made no reference to Africans, Gates or depopulation.
August 12, 2020
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173. Video in misleading post predates France's ban on prescribing chloroquine for COVID-19
The video of a widely shared news report on Facebook claims that the French government has officially sanctioned anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of the novel coronavirus. However, the claim is misleading: the video is old and predates France’s ban on hydroxychloroquine as a prescription drug for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
August 6, 2020
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172. False claim circulates online that the United States is testing a COVID-19 vaccine on Ukrainian soldiers
Multiple posts shared hundreds of times on Facebook and Twitter claim that four Ukrainian soldiers died after participating in American COVID-19 vaccine trials in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. The claim, published in several languages across different posts, was attributed to a police spokesperson in the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic. The claim is false; Ukraine military and Kharkiv medical officials said the posts were “fake news”.
August 5, 2020
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171. Photo that allegedly shows protest against German restrictions was taken at a street parade in Switzerland
A photo has been shared thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook and Twitter which claim it shows a protest against coronavirus restrictions in the German capital of Berlin in August 2020. The claim is false; the photo, which has circulated online since at least 2018, shows a street parade in Switzerland before the COVID-19 pandemic.
August 4, 2020
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170. Misleading claim circulates online comparing severity of COVID-19 with swine flu
Multiple Facebook posts shared tens of thousands of times claim the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has infected far fewer people than the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, but “media hysteria” has prompted an overblown response. The claim is misleading; in April 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that COVID-19 is “10 times more deadly than swine flu”; health experts say COVID-19 has a higher death rate than swine flu, which could in turn put more pressure on healthcare systems.
August 3, 2020
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169. There is no evidence backing Madagascar’s claim that a homegrown herbal drink cures COVID-19
A Facebook post shared thousands of times claims that Madagascar has found a herbal remedy that cures the novel coronavirus. To date, there is no evidence to prove that the controversial tonic produced in the island country has any impact on the virus.
July 30, 2020
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168. Experts say corpses infected with COVID-19 do not get more infectious over time
A post shared more than a thousand times on Facebook claims that a corpse of a COVID-19 positive person is 100 times more “toxic” 72 hours after death -- and that because undertakers are not burying bodies within this prescribed period, funerals have become hotspots for further infections. The claim is false; according to experts, corpses do not get more infectious over time and the rise in infections after funerals is a result of mourners infecting one another.
July 30, 2020
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167. False claims circulate that global COVID-19 fatalities have surpassed 1.6 million
A Facebook post that made an exaggerated claim in May 2020 about the global death toll from the novel coronavirus has been amplified across the world, especially on social media accounts posting religious content. The most recent versions of the post claim that more than 1.6 million people have died from COVID-19, but this is false; the real number of deaths counted is currently less than half of that.
July 28, 2020
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166. WHO dismisses fake COVID-19 job ads, warns of similar scams
A message shared on WhatsApp and Facebook claims that the World Health Organization (WHO) is advertising home-based jobs to "fight coronavirus” and says no experience is necessary. However, there is no such employment offer from the UN health agency, which has warned the public of similar scams.
July 27, 2020
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165. Ongoing COVID-19 infections are detected with a viral test, not a blood check for antibodies
Widely shared social media posts claim the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that positive COVID-19 results simply mean people have previously contracted a cold. In reality, the claim is a misinterpretation of a paragraph discussing antibody tests on the CDC's website. Health experts say ongoing COVID-19 infections are detected with viral tests, not an analysis of antibodies.
July 27, 2020
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164. Viral video does not show mourners breaking COVID-19 rules at Mandela family funeral
A viral video purports to show mourners ignoring social distancing rules at the funeral of Zindzi Mandela, the youngest daughter of South Africa's first black president and anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela. But the claim is false: police confirmed this clip and other similar videos showed footage of an unrelated funeral, which is being investigated for breaking coronavirus laws.
July 26, 2020
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163. Suspected COVID-19 sufferers in South Africa can be forced into quarantine under certain circumstances
A Facebook post shared thousands of times advises people with COVID-19 symptoms in South Africa to refuse medical treatment because those who are hospitalised “usually die” and end up in one of the “million graves” allegedly dug by the government. It also recommends the use of traditional remedies instead of prescribed medication. AFP Fact Check explains why these claims are misleading.
July 24, 2020
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162. Photo does not show officer who raped COVID-19 patient
An image of a shirtless man and woman sitting on a bed has been circulating on social media claiming to show a policeman who raped a novel coronavirus patient at a quarantine centre. Although an incident like this reportedly occurred in Kenya, the photo was published online long before the pandemic in articles alleging the pair were in an extramarital relationship.
July 23, 2020
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161. False list of 'home treatments' for COVID-19 circulates online
A list of purported treatments for COVID-19 at its “different stages” has been shared hundreds of times in multiple Facebook posts. The posts recommend that people with breathing problems should use an oxygen cylinder and monitor their oxygen levels before going to a hospital. The claims, however, are false; health experts have said there is no scientific evidence to suggest the list of purported treatments are effective; they also advised people with breathing difficulties due to suspected COVID-19 to seek immediate medical help.
July 22, 2020
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160. Russian nurses are not working in their underwear, photos show isolated incident
Images of an almost naked woman in a see-through protective gown in a hospital ward have been shared on Facebook alongside a claim that Russian nurses don't wear clothes in COVID-19 wards. Although the images are authentic, this was an isolated incident in Russia: the nurse, who was reprimanded, told the media she stripped down to her underwear because she was hot.
July 21, 2020
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159. Coronavirus advice falsely attributed to British Columbia’s Health Officer spreads on social media
A post shared thousands of times on Facebook in Canada claims to provide advice about living with the threat of COVID-19 from British Columbia’s Provincial Health Officer Bonnie Henry. The remarks have been misattributed to Henry. Her office asked social media users to stop sharing the post and instead refer to the province's official guidance on the novel coronavirus.
July 20, 2020
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158. Post making false face mask claims circulates in Canada, in the US and in Africa
A Facebook post shared thousands of times in Canada and the United States lists alleged risks associated with the use of face masks that are aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus, including decreased oxygen intake and increased “toxic inhalation.” But experts say the claims in the post, and others making similar assertions, are false.
July 17, 2020
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157. Photo shows Obama and Fauci visiting a lab in the US, not China
Social media posts shared thousands of times claim a photo shows a 2015 visit by then-US president Barack Obama, infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci and philanthropist Melinda Gates to a laboratory in China’s Wuhan, which later became ground zero for the coronavirus pandemic. But the photo was actually taken the previous year at a lab in Maryland, and Gates does not appear in it.
July 17, 2020
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156. A video of Tanzania's leader celebrating was taken years before the novel coronavirus emerged
A video showing Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli in a celebratory mood has been viewed more than 200,000 times on social media alongside claims that he was marking the country's eradication of COVID-19. The claim is false: an online search reveals that the clip was filmed in 2016, years before the novel coronavirus pandemic began.
July 14, 2020
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155. WHO still recommends self-isolation and social distancing to prevent COVID-19 transmission
Multiple posts shared on Facebook claim that the World Health Organization (WHO) has rescinded its advice which urges isolation for COVID-19 patients and social distancing in public. However, the claim is false and based on a video clip that has been taken out of context. WHO still recommends infected people be quarantined and social distancing maintained.
July 14, 2020
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154. Health experts say COVID-19 swab tests are safe and do not damage the blood-brain barrier
An illustration has been shared hundreds of times in multiple Facebook and Instagram posts which claim it shows that nasal swab tests for COVID-19 can harm the blood brain-barrier, a semipermeable membrane separating blood from other fluids in the brain. The claim is misleading; experts say COVID-19 swab tests are not placed near the blood-brain barrier and do not pose a risk to human health.
July 13, 2020
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153. Fake posts offering non-existing grants target entrepreneurs in Africa
A Facebook post shared dozens of times claims to offer grants to business owners in Zambia to help them during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it comes from a fake account purporting to be Zambia’s ministry of commerce, which denied the claim and cautioned people to verify such offers. The same tactic appears to have been used in Botswana as well.
July 10, 2020
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152. Ghanaian leader is not voice of COVID-19 conspiracy message
Online posts viewed thousands of times claim that a 14-minute audio message covering various conspiracy theories about COVID-19’s origin was voiced by Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo. The claim is false; the recording does not match Akufo-Addo’s voice while his information minister dismissed it as “obviously false”.
July 10, 2020
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151. Photo does not show aftermath of African vaccine trials
A purported image of children with limb deformities has been shared hundreds of times in multiple Facebook posts published in 2020 alongside a claim it shows the aftermath of vaccine trials on Africans. The claim is false; the photo, taken in 1998 in the West African country Sierra Leone, actually shows unvaccinated children who contracted polio.
July 8, 2020
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150. Italian artist doctors images of Queen Elizabeth to add matching masks
Social media posts claiming to show images of Queen Elizabeth II wearing face masks matching her outfits during the novel coronavirus pandemic have been circulating in Africa. But the claim is false; the images were digitally altered by an Italian artist using stock pictures of the monarch taken long before the outbreak of the virus.
July 7, 2020
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149. Photo shows intubated baby had heart surgery in 2012
The image of an intubated baby with a large chest scar has been shared tens of thousands of times on Facebook, with claims that the infant had recently survived heart surgery before testing positive for the novel coronavirus. This is misleading: the pictured baby had heart surgery in 2012 and the now seven-year-old child does not have COVID-19, his parents say.
June 25, 2020
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148. Brazilian MP angry because new COVID-19 hospital was not operating yet
A widely shared video claims to show Brazilian lawmaker Filippe Poubel erupt in anger as he breaks into a field hospital that had claimed to have 5,000 novel coronavirus patients and finds it empty. In reality, the clip depicts the politician expressing his displeasure over a delay in opening a new COVID-19 hospital.
June 25, 2020
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147. Hoax circulates about 'Latin translation' of COVID-19
Multiple posts shared repeatedly on Facebook and Twitter claim COVID-19 means “see a sheep surrender” in Latin. The claim is false; Latin language experts dismissed the claim as “nonsense”; the World Health Organization (WHO) states COVID-19 refers to “coronavirus disease 2019”.
June 24, 2020
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146. Rwandan government rejects claim leader Paul Kagame opposed WHO over virus tonic
Articles shared thousands of times on Facebook and Twitter claim Rwandan President Paul Kagame censured the World Health Organization (WHO) for rejecting a herbal tonic touted by the Madagascan government as a cure for COVID-19. However, a presidential spokesperson dismissed the claim as “fake news”. No evidence was found to show Kagame made the comments. In fact, he has said his government is avoiding untested remedies.
June 22, 2020
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145. Old photos show Cyril Ramaphosa at events long before coronavirus pandemic
A meme posted on Facebook claims South Africa’s president and ruling party politicians recently celebrated a high-profile birthday and flouted lockdown rules in the process. However, the images were taken in previous years. A secondary claim that COVID-19 is a bacteria -- and that this therefore would explain the lack of masks in the pictures -- has been refuted by experts.
June 19, 2020
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144. Nobel winner Denis Mukwege rejects 'fake patients' quote circulating online
Viral posts circulating in Africa claim Nobel Peace Prize winner Denis Mukwege resigned from the leadership of two COVID-19 task forces in DR Congo because he was told to manipulate patient numbers. The claim is false; Mukwege's resignation statement cited frustration at how the crisis was being managed, but nothing about fake patients. He has rejected the quotes attributed to him in the viral posts.
June 19, 2020
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143. Not all of vintage images are related to the global influenza outbreak a century ago
Facebook posts claiming to show vintage photographs taken during the Spanish flu pandemic more than 100 years ago have been shared thousands of times in Africa, Asia and the United States. While most of the images do depict life in various parts of the world during the pandemic, some are unrelated to the event and either were taken years earlier or later.
June 19, 2020
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142. Meme misleads about danger of long-term mask use
A meme shared thousands of times on Facebook claims people can suffer from reduced oxygen to their blood and brain, possibly leading to death, if they wear a disposable mask for too long. This is misleading; only a marginal decrease in oxygen saturation can sometimes be measured in people wearing a disposable mask, and several experts agree there is no evidence of long-term effects from breathing through a mask.
June 18, 2020
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141. Claim that South Sudan's leaders flew abroad for COVID-19 treatment is a hoax
South Sudan President Salva Kiir and his first deputy Riek Machar recently became targets of tit-for-tat claims on Facebook alleging they had flown to foreign countries for COVID-19 treatment. For four days, rumours about the two men -- bitter rivals since the 2013 civil war -- flew thick and fast on social media. Allegations that they were abroad (and even dead in the case of Kiir) were finally put to bed with television appearances from their respective homes in the capital, Juba.
June 18, 2020
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140. Doctored newspaper front pages spread disinformation in Kenya
Facebook posts claim to show the front pages of three leading Kenyan newspapers reporting on scandals involving key political figures. But the images are doctored and the papers have dismissed the altered front pages on their official social media accounts. Editors at the three media organisations told AFP Fact Check the false claims were most likely politically motivated as the country’s ruling party grapples with internal tension. They are part of a trend in Kenya of manipulating media content for political mileage.
June 16, 2020
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139. Posts falsely claim coronavirus testing is an excuse to implant Gates-funded microchips
Facebook posts shared thousands of times claim the coronavirus pandemic is a cover for a Gates Foundation-funded effort to implant microchips when patients’ noses or throats are swabbed during COVID-19 testing. This is false; the pandemic is real, the foundation denied the claim, and experts say there is a medical reason for the way swabs are used when testing for the disease.
June 11, 2020
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138. False claim about schools in Nigeria reopening
An article circulating on Facebook and Twitter claims that Nigerian schools will reopen on July 13, 2020, according to a government official. However, the claim is false; the author of the report admitted it was incorrect and Nigerian authorities have dismissed the claim.
June 11, 2020
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137. French government rejects ‘travel ban for Africans’ claim
Facebook posts circulating in Africa claim France has announced a ban on Africans travelling to Europe if they refuse “the European vaccine” for COVID-19. However, France’s foreign ministry rejected the claims and AFP Fact Check found no trace of such an announcement.
June 10, 2020
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136. Video of a practical joke misrepresented as a US protestor stealing a cash machine
Facebook posts shared thousands of times feature a video of a man trying to haul a cash machine onto a bus, with captions claiming he is a “protester” or “looter” who stole the ATM. However, the footage has nothing to do with anti-racism protests currently sweeping the US, which have seen outbreaks of looting. The man in the video is a comedian pulling a prank in March 2019.
June 10, 2020
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135. Empty body bags were used in protests and not part of ‘fake’ pandemic plot
Facebook posts shared thousands of times accuse authorities of lining the streets with empty body bags in a bid to fool people about the “fake” novel coronavirus pandemic. But the claim is false: the photo was taken at a US protest against the government’s handling of the novel coronavirus crisis.
June 9, 2020
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134. Italy's health ministry rejects online “hoax” about virus origin
Facebook posts shared thousands of times claim that the novel coronavirus disease is caused by bacteria and can be cured with household painkillers. The posts also claim that Italian doctors found a cure for COVID-19. Both claims are false; Italy's health ministry told AFP Fact Check that the posts were “a hoax”. No cure has been found for the disease.
June 9, 2020
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133. List of unproven COVID-19 treatments debunked by health experts
A message shared on WhatsApp and Facebook purportedly by a recovering COVID-19 patient in Britain makes several claims on ways people can prevent or treat the novel coronavirus. However, experts and health agencies have refuted most of the claims.
June 8, 2020
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132. Business grant scam in Uganda resurfaces on Facebook
A Facebook post claiming that the Ugandan government is offering grants to local businesses in an effort to cushion its citizens against the effects of COVID-19 has been shared hundreds of times. The claim is false; the Facebook post appears on a page impersonating Uganda’s finance ministry. The ministry has flatly denied partnering with any organisation for purposes of offering grants to Ugandan entrepreneurs in the ongoing pandemic.
June 5, 2020
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131. Woman in viral video makes misleading claims about face masks
A viral video shared on multiple social media platforms shows a woman outside a US store making several misleading claims about the use of face masks including that they do not protect from COVID-19 and that their use makes you sick. Research backed by leading academic institutions and international health bodies recommends they be used along with other measures to help limit the spread of the novel coronavirus.
June 5, 2020
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130. Lesotho rejects online rumours of a herbal cure
Facebook posts shared thousands of times claim that people in Lesotho are "immune" to COVID-19 because the country apparently created a remedy for the disease. The claim is false; a health ministry spokesman denied the southern African state had endorsed such a treatment while the head of the company that makes the tonic featured in the posts said it has not been tested to treat COVID-19.
June 4, 2020
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129. Article shared thousands of times uses false clickbait headline
An article shared more than 14,000 times on Facebook claims the Nigerian government gave N20,000 ($52) to “everyone” across the country’s 36 states. This is false; the article in question shares a true story but uses an unrelated and misleading headline. Nigeria has a social investment programme to help the poor and handed out cash and food during the lockdown, but not to all citizens.
June 4, 2020
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128. Experts reject conspiracy theories about ‘5G microchip implants’
Facebook posts shared thousands of times claim that 5G mobile phones will work off microchips secretly implanted under the skin by vaccination for COVID-19. However, the posts combine various conspiracy theorists previously debunked by AFP Fact Check and experts reject any link between 5G technology and microchips.
June 1, 2020
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127. Principles in the Nuremberg Code are compatible with vaccination
Facebook and Instagram posts shared thousands of times claim that vaccines directly violate the Nuremberg Code, a set of research ethics principles for human experimentation established after World War II. This claim is false; medical ethics and legal experts said the principles, named after the Nuremberg trials, are compatible with vaccination.
May 29, 2020
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126. No evidence robbers are using chemical-laced face masks on victims in South Africa
Facebook posts shared hundreds of times in South Africa claim that criminals posing as government officials are going around to people’s homes and distributing face masks that are laced with chemicals to knock them out and rob them. However, local police -- like their counterparts elsewhere in the world -- dismissed the claim as a myth.
May 28, 2020
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125. Italian politician spreads false claims about Bill Gates in parliament speeches
A video of Italian politician Sara Cunial blasting Bill Gates as a “vaccine criminal” in speeches to parliament has been viewed tens of thousands of times on Facebook and YouTube. But her statements are riddled with misinformation. AFP Fact Check debunks some of the claims.
May 27, 2020
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124. Trump offered Madagascar money fight the outbreak, not to produce a cure
Facebook posts shared hundreds of times claim US President Donald Trump approved a $2.5 million fund for Madagascar to mass-produce a herbal remedy touted by the island’s president as a cure for COVID-19. The claim is false; there is no evidence Trump made any such statement, and while the United States did give Madagascar $2.5 million to tackle the outbreak, government information on the fund’s use does not include producing a remedy.
May 27, 2020
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123. Madagascar refutes claims Putin ordered herbal drink touted as coronavirus remedy
A Facebook post shared thousands of times claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Covid-Organics, a herbal drink touted by Madagascan President Andry Rajoelina as a cure for COVID-19. The post claims that Putin urged Africans “not to follow” the World Health Organization (WHO), which has warned against untested traditional medicine. However, AFP Fact Check found no official reports from the Kremlin of any order and the Madagascan presidency denied the claims.
May 26, 2020
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122. Madagascan president has not called on African states to quit WHO
Facebook posts shared hundreds of times claim that Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina called on African nations to leave the World Health Organization (WHO). Although the leader has criticised the agency for warning against a herbal remedy he recommends to treat COVID-19, AFP Fact Check found no public record of him making such a statement. The Madagascan presidency has also rejected the claim.
May 25, 2020
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121. Image of Bill Gates in cuffs is doctored photo of a 2014 mobster arrest
Multiple posts shared with a picture of a hand-cuffed Bill Gates being led away by FBI agents allege the US billionaire has been arrested for biological terrorism. This is false; the image is doctored and actually shows the 2015 arrest of New York mobster Vincent Asaro. The report was first published by a satirical website but was reproduced elsewhere as real news.
May 22, 2020
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120. Nigeria did not impose to set up 5G networks
A post shared hundreds of times on Facebook claims that the Nigerian presidency imposed a curfew to allow Chinese companies to build 5G masts. This is false; the curfew is aimed at slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus. Authorities say 5G licences have not been issued to any firms in Nigeria -- Chinese or otherwise.
May 21, 2020
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119. Experts say freediver’s video about masks contains misleading claims
A video shared more than 10,000 times on Facebook features a freediving champion who claims that masks don't offer protection from the novel coronavirus and that the moisture created by breathing into a mask actually offers a fertile environment for the virus. However, experts told AFP that the video makes several misleading assumptions.
May 21, 2020
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118. Video shows annual Hindu ritual, no connection to coronavirus
A video viewed thousands of times on Facebook posts claims to show Indians throwing statues of their gods into a river after they allegedly failed to protect them from the new coronavirus. The claim is false; the clip dates back to at least September 2015, years before the COVID-19 pandemic. It shows a ritual during the closure of a religious festival dedicated to the Hindu god Ganesh.
May 21, 2020
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117. There is no evidence Madagascan president said WHO offered bribe to poison COVID-19 remedy
Articles in two Tanzanian newspapers claim that Madagascan President Andry Rajoelina has accused the World Health Organization (WHO) of offering a $20 million bribe to poison a herbal tea remedy he hails as a COVID-19 cure. However, there is no evidence Rajoelina made such comments and a spokesman for the Madagascan presidency flatly denied the claims.
May 20, 2020
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116. French scientist Didier Raoult did not say COVID-19 was created to kill Africans
Facebook posts shared thousands of times claim that French microbiologist Didier Raoult – who has promoted malaria drug hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 – has revealed that the disease was deliberately created by the US and China to kill Africans. However, there is no record of Raoult making such a statement and his office flatly rejected the claim. Scientists believe the virus emerged from a natural source.
May 20, 2020
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115. Bill Gates, bogeyman of virus conspiracy theorists
False claims targeting billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates are gaining traction online since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, with experts warning they could hamper efforts to curb the virus.
May 19, 2020
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114. Prolonged use of face masks unlikely to cause hypercapnia
Facebook posts shared hundreds of times in South Africa claim that wearing a face mask for a prolonged period can cause hypercapnia, a build-up of carbon dioxide in the blood. However, health experts told AFP Fact Check that a well-made mask is unlikely to cause the condition.
May 18, 2020
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113. TV report misrepresented as showing children in Guinea that have died of COVID-19 vaccine
A YouTube video shared thousands of times claims that two children died from a novel coronavirus vaccine in Guinea. The claim is false; the video misrepresents a news report on children who fell ill in March 2019 after taking anti-parasite drugs. There is currently no vaccine for COVID-19.
May 15, 2020
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112. Using face masks does not cause hypoxia
Posts on Facebook claim that prolonged use of face masks causes hypoxia -- a lack of oxygen in the body. The claim, however, is false; as long as they are worn properly, the commonly used piece of personal protective equipment does not block the path of oxygen, experts say.
May 14, 2020
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111. ‘Plandemic’ video peddles falsehoods about COVID-19
“Plandemic” -- a slickly-edited, 26-minute interview with a discredited researcher -- has been widely shared on social media. But the video, which YouTube and Facebook are working to remove for violating content standards, contains multiple false or misleading claims, including about the novel coronavirus, experts say.
May 12, 2020
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110. Doctored photo is latest attack on Bill Gates amid COVID-19 vaccine push
Social media users have shared a photo that claims to show a “Center for Global Human Population Reduction” affiliated with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The image, however, has been manipulated. The stone signage it captures is the foundation’s Discovery Center in Seattle, which is not home to a depopulation effort, nor are the Microsoft co-founder and his wife behind any such initiative.
May 6, 2020
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109. Crowds did not attend funeral of Nigerian Emir of Rano
A video viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts claims to show a crowd surrounding, and attempting to touch, the remains of the Emir of Rano, a Nigerian traditional ruler who died on Saturday. However, authorities say the video is “fake” and that the emir was buried in a private ceremony.
May 6, 2020
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108. This fabricated headline was added to a screenshot of a CNN interview
A photo shared hundreds of times on Facebook claims to show the American cable news channel CNN describing cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria as “false”, accusing the government of making them up to embezzle public funds. This is false: The image, taken from a CNN interview of New York's mayor, has been doctored and the false headline added to it.
May 6, 2020
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107. Video of Boris Johnson offering tea to journalists was filmed in 2018
A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram alongside a claim it shows UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson offering cups of tea to journalists after recovering from an illness. The posts were shared shortly after Johnson returned to work following hospital treatment for COVID-19. The claim in the social media posts is false; this video has circulated in media reports since August 2018, more than one year before the coronavirus pandemic and before Johnson became prime minister.
May 6, 2020
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106. African mistrust of Western vaccines threatens coronavirus fight
The race to find a vaccine for the novel coronavirus faces an uphill struggle in Africa, where a flood of online misinformation is feeding on historical mistrust of Western medical research.
May 5, 2020
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105. Video misrepresented as farewell flypast for South African Airways
A video shared thousands of times on Facebook purports to show a farewell flypast in honour of South African Airways (SAA), the country’s bankrupt national carrier. The footage, however, was taken last year during a rehearsal in preparation for the presidential inauguration.
May 4, 2020
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104. Misleading mask graphic claims to show exact chance of COVID-19 spread
Graphics shared thousands of times on social media claim to show the exact probability of COVID-19 carriers spreading the disease if they or another person wears a mask. The claim is misleading; experts say that while masks do decrease the risk, there is no reliable information on the specific chance of transmission.
May 1, 2020
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103. These are test kits made in South Korea, not a 'cure' for COVID-19
Multiple posts shared thousands of times on Facebook claim that the United States has found a cure for the novel coronavirus. This is false; the pictures being shared are of rapid test kits made in South Korea, while the hunt for a cure continues.
April 30, 2020
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102. Guinea has not ordered the arrest of all Chinese nationals
A video of a man rebuking foreigners has been viewed thousands of times on social media alongside a claim that the Guinean government has ordered the arrest of all Chinese nationals in the country while awaiting the safe return of Guineans from China. However, the video was actually recorded last year before the pandemic, and the Guinean government has not issued any such order.
April 30, 2020
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101. This may not be the best time to visit a hair salon – but there is no proof they have caused almost half of coronavirus deaths
Posts shared hundreds of times on WhatsApp and Facebook claim that hair salons are responsible for almost 50 percent of all coronavirus deaths. There is no evidence to support the claim, which has been ascribed to a non-existent US health chief.
April 30, 2020
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100. Viral videos of Africans attacked in China were filmed years ago
Videos showing black people being attacked by Asian people have been shared thousands of times online in recent weeks. Although Africans living in China have reported discrimination linked to the coronavirus pandemic, AFP Fact Check found that various widely-shared clips were filmed years ago and have nothing to do with the virus.
April 28, 2020
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99. Britain’s first coronavirus vaccine volunteer has not died after trial jab
An online report shared tens of thousands of times on Facebook and Twitter claims that one of Britain’s first volunteers to be injected with a trial coronavirus vaccine has died. However, the claim is false, originating from a website with a history of spreading misinformation. The volunteer, herself, has dismissed the report, which was also denied by UK health officials and the scientists behind the trial.
April 28, 2020
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98. Nobel laureate Tasuku Honjo refutes 'false' quote attributed to him about the novel coronavirus
Multiple posts on Facebook, Twitter and on various websites have shared a purported quote about the novel coronavirus from Japanese physician Tasuku Honjo, the 2018 winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The posts, shared thousands of times, quote Dr Honjo as stating that the virus is “not natural” and was “manufactured in China”, as well as stating he previously worked at a laboratory in Chinese city of Wuhan for four years. The claim is misleading; Dr Honjo said he never made the purported comments, dismissing the posts as “misinformation”; his biography on the Kyoto University website shows he has never held a position at a laboratory in China.
April 28, 2020
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97. Photo shows Australia’s Bondi Beach in 2013, not crowded beach in South Africa
A photograph circulating on Facebook purports to be a screenshot from a TV news report showing a crowded beach in South Africa during the lockdown. The claim is false; the image has been doctored and actually shows Australia’s Bondi beach in 2013.
April 27, 2020
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96. Video shows FBI agents seizing masks from alleged price gouger
A video with thousands of shares and more than 1.5 million views on Facebook claims to show FBI agents seizing masks infected with the novel coronavirus. The claim is false; the clip shows a raid on the home of a man in New York arrested for allegedly coughing on FBI agents while claiming to have COVID-19 and lying to them about hoarding and selling medical supplies.
April 24, 2020
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95. Video shows landmarks across China, but not Wuhan
A video featuring aerial shots of futuristic skyscrapers, giant bridges and other landmarks has been shared thousands of times on Facebook with claims that it shows Wuhan, the central Chinese city where the novel coronavirus pandemic emerged in December 2019. However, AFP found the video is a compilation of shots from various Chinese cities but not Wuhan.
April 24, 2020
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94. Looting images filmed in Mexico in 2014, not the UK
A post shared on Facebook purports to show people looting a store in England. The claim is false; it actually shows looting that took place at a resort in Mexico in 2014 after Hurricane Odile ravaged Cabo San Lucas.
April 23, 2020
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93. South Africa’s education department says the 2020 school year can still be saved
Social media posts shared in South Africa claim that children in grades 1 to 11 will be promoted after the school year was cancelled because of the novel coronavirus pandemic. The claims are false and started circulating after an education expert called for an end to the academic year, an idea rejected by the Department of Basic Education.
April 22, 2020
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92. Online coronavirus scams spread in Nigeria amid lockdowns
African countries including Nigeria are experiencing an increase in the number of fraudulent activities on social media as internet fraudsters embark on scamming sprees amid the coronavirus pandemic. AFP Fact Check has rounded up some of the most popular online claims fabricated to exploit unsuspecting internet users in the continent.
April 22, 2020
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91. 5G deal between UK and Chinese tech company Huawei has not been cancelled
Multiple posts on social media in Nigeria claim that the United Kingdom terminated a deal with Chinese tech company Huawei after receiving contaminated coronavirus test kits. This is false; the UK has made no such move while the tainted test kits came from Luxembourg.
April 22, 2020
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90. The World Bank did not praise Tanzania’s anti-coronavirus policies
Articles claiming the World Bank has applauded Tanzania’s anti-coronavirus policies have been widely shared, with one attracting thousands of interactions on Facebook. The publications claim the East African country was singled out for praise in a report for implementing “unique policies” in the fight against the novel coronavirus. But the report does not include any such mention and the World Bank has denied specifically highlighting Tanzania’s COVID-19 response.
April 21, 2020
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89. Chinese donated general medical supplies Burundi, not vaccines
A post shared on Facebook and WhatsApp claims that China has sent COVID-19 vaccines to Burundi. The claim is false; China did donate medical supplies to the eastern African nation, but not vaccines, which do not exist yet for the disease.
April 21, 2020
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88. Kenya governor quotes non-existent WHO research to defend alcohol donations
A video of Nairobi governor Mike Sonko claiming the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends drinking alcohol to help prevent the new coronavirus is circulating online. The claim is false; the WHO has, in fact, warned the public against excessive alcohol consumption during the pandemic.
April 20, 2020
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87. This photo does not show throat infected with novel coronavirus
A photo shared thousands of times on Facebook claims to show the throat of a novel coronavirus patient. The claim is false; the image has circulated online since May of 2018, long before the COVID-19 pandemic.
April 20, 2020
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86. Myth spreads online that Australian supermarkets have banned Chinese nationals during COVID-19 pandemic
A video that shows an argument between shoppers at an Australian department store has been viewed tens of thousands of times in Facebook and Twitter posts alongside a claim that Chinese nationals have been banned from supermarkets in Australia. The claim is false; major Australian supermarket chains told AFP there was no policy that bans Chinese people from their stores as of April 2020; the video in the misleading posts has circulated in media reports about a dispute in an Australian supermarket over baby formula.
April 20, 2020
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85. Electoral campaign images misrepresented as Nigerians scrambling for food during lockdown
A video shared thousands of times on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram purports to show hundreds of Nigerians scrambling for food amid a lockdown prompted by the novel coronavirus. However, the footage has been circulating on social media since at least March 2019, months before the start of the pandemic.
April 17, 2020
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84. Photo of food parcels in Rwanda lockdown were taken before the pandemic
A widely shared picture purports to show food earmarked for distribution to families in Rwanda ahead of a coronavirus lockdown. This is false; the image has been circulating online since at least May 2019. Former World Bank chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was among those who fell for the hoax, sharing the photo with her 1.1 million Twitter followers.
April 17, 2020
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83. Images show delivery of Chinese medical supplies to Ghana, not vaccines to Nigeria
Multiple posts with pictures of an aircraft delivering supplies claim to show the delivery of coronavirus vaccines from China to a Nigerian airport. This is false; the images were taken in Accra, Ghana, and show Chinese aid deliveries of medical supplies to 18 African countries -- including Nigeria.
April 16, 2020
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82. Video does not show fight between Kenyans and Chinese people in Wuhan
After the African Union expressed concerns about discrimination against Africans in Guangzhou, a video started circulating on Facebook and Twitter that purports to show a Kenyan couple involved in a fist fight with a Chinese couple in Wuhan. This claim is false: The video was in fact filmed in the Bronx district of New York in front of an Asian restaurant.
April 16, 2020
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81. South Sudan's chief justice and his family tested negative for COVID-19
A WhatsApp message circulating in South Sudan claims the chief justice’s son is critically ill with COVID-19. However, the health ministry said the senior official and his family tested negative for the disease, and his daughter told AFP he doesn’t have a son going by the name quoted in social media posts.
April 15, 2020
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80. Nigeria’s ex-vice president didn't promise to pay citizens to stay home during virus outbreak
An article shared thousands of times in multiple social media posts in Nigeria claims former vice president Atiku Abubakar pledged to pay 10,000 naira ($27) to every Nigerian to help them through the novel coronavirus pandemic. The claim is false; Abubakar's spokesman rejected it as "fake news" and the story originated from a website with a history of spreading misinformation.
April 15, 2020
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79. False claim: Beijing and Shanghai are untouched by COVID-19
A claim that the novel coronavirus was never detected in the major Chinese cities of Beijing and Shanghai has been shared repeatedly on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The claim is false; both Beijing and Shanghai, China’s two most populous cities, have reported confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths since January 2020.
April 13, 2020
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78. Video shows a Brazil carnival in 2018, not a party in Italy
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts shared thousands of times show a video of crowds at a music event. Comments say the footage shows the “last gay conference” in Italy before the coronavirus outbreak. The clip is actually from a carnival in Brazil in February 2018, two years before Italy’s first confirmed COVID-19 case.
April 13, 2020
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77. How to spot COVID-19 misinformation on WhatsApp
AFP has debunked multiple claims shared millions of times on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease in December 2019. But with over 65 billion messages sent worldwide every day, WhatsApp, one of the biggest platforms for sharing misinformation in Africa, remains a challenge. AFP fact checkers explain how you can spot false COVID-19 claims on WhatsApp.
April 10, 2020
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76. South Africa leader did not ask foreigners to leave the country due to COVID-19
Dozens of posts shared hundreds of times on Facebook and WhatsApp claim that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa told foreigners to leave the country to minimise the spread of the novel coronavirus. The claim is false; he has made no such announcement and the Department of Home Affairs refuted the claim.
April 10, 2020
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75. Claim Nigeria spent 1 billion naira on COVID-19 text messages came from fabricated tweet
A screenshot of a web publication has been shared hundreds of times in multiple posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram that claim the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control said it spent a billion naira ($2.78 million) on COVID-19 text message awareness campaign. However, this is false; the claim stemmed from a fabricated tweet, and was denied by Nigeria’s health authorities.
April 10, 2020
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74. Photo of a waste management officer has been circulating since 2018
A photograph has been shared hundreds of times in Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts with claims that it shows Nigerian movie star Funke Akindele Bello picking up waste in the street as a punishment for throwing a party during the COVID-19 lockdown. The claim is false; the photo was first published online long before the pandemic and shows a waste management officer.
April 10, 2020
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73. Old video shows police officers in Ghana, not Nigeria
A video showing law enforcement officers beating civilians is being shared on Facebook and WhatsApp in Nigeria, with claims that it shows Nigerian soldiers beating citizens while enforcing the COVID-19 lockdown in the country. This is false; the video is old and shows police officers carrying out a beating in Ghana.
April 9, 2020
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72. French doctor did not urge Africans to avoid a “Bill Gates vaccine”
A post shared hundreds of times on Facebook claims that Didier Raoult, a French specialist in infectious diseases, is urging Africans “not to take Bill Gates vaccine” against coronavirus as it contains “poison”. This is false: the institute which Raoult directs denied he ever made these claims; moreover, no vaccine yet exists against coronavirus.
April 9, 2020
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71. Video does not show Spanish police transferring people to quarantine centers
A video viewed thousands of times in Nigeria and shared in multiple Facebook posts claims to show police in Spain rounding up people aged 50 and above to transfer them to quarantine centers amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. The claim is false; the footage was circulating months before the outbreak and actually shows police in Azerbaijan detaining anti-government protesters in the capital Baku.
April 8, 2020
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70. Video manipulated to make it look like South Africa’s leader announced an 81-day lockdown
Video posts viewed thousands of times purport to show South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa announcing an alleged 81-day lockdown. But the video has been edited to change the context of an earlier speech he made during a national news broadcast. The TV channel which aired the original segment has refuted the doctored video and there have been no official announcements from the presidency to extend the ongoing 21-day lockdown set to end on April 16, 2020.
April 8, 2020
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69. Photo does not show UK schoolboy who died after contracting COVID-19
A photo of a young boy has been shared repeatedly on Facebook, Twitter and various websites alongside a claim that it shows a 13-year-old who died after contracting the novel coronavirus in the UK in 2020. The claim is false; the photograph has circulated in reports since 2017 about a teenager who died in Ireland.
April 8, 2020
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68. South African hospital group rejects claim that lab found COVID-19 on fresh produce
Posts shared on Facebook and WhatsApp claim a South African hospital found that traces of the novel coronavirus had survived on the surface of fresh food items for 12 hours during lab tests. The claim is false and was dismissed by the hospital’s owners Netcare, which denies even having a laboratory at the facility in question.
April 7, 2020
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67. Videos do not show recent looting in South Africa
Facebook posts shared thousands of times recommend various practices to prevent COVID-19, including gargling salt water, drinking tea and avoiding ice cream. Health experts told AFP there is no evidence to support these claims and say washing your hands regularly is the best way to stay healthy.
April 7, 2020
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66. Experts dismiss claims that 5G wireless technology created the novel coronavirus
Numerous conspiracy theories shared on and off social media claim that 5G mobile networks are the cause of the novel coronavirus pandemic. This is false; experts told AFP that 5G is based on radio frequency and that this does not create viruses.
April 7, 2020
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65. Photo does not show a pastor being beaten for defying coronavirus laws
An image has been shared multiple times on Facebook in Liberia in support of a claim that pastors were beaten for defying government restrictions on religious gatherings amid the novel coronavirus outbreak. Although a police crackdown on churches took place, the use of the picture in this context is false as it was shot years ago at an unrelated event.
April 7, 2020
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64. Photos do not show money thrown in streets in Italy during pandemic
Two photos showing notes scattered on a street have been shared hundreds of times on Facebook and YouTube alongside a claim they were taken in Italy during the novel coronavirus pandemic. The posts claim Italians have thrown money out of their homes in a symbolic gesture to highlight that money is futile during the pandemic. The claim is false; the photos have circulated online since at least March 2019 in reports about two separate incidents in Venezuela.
April 7, 2020
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63. Video advising people to drink sugar-free tea to prevent COVID-19 has been doctored
A Sudanese Facebook post shared thousands of times claims to show a video of a newborn advising people to drink sugar-free tea to ward off the novel coronavirus. However, the video has been dubbed over with a fake voice and is at least four years old.
April 6, 2020
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62. This CNN broadcast has been doctored, Nigerian leader did not test positive for coronavirus
An image of a purported CNN broadcast shared thousands of times in multiple social media posts claims Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari and his chief of staff Abba Kyari tested positive for the novel coronavirus. But while Kyari has indeed tested positive for the virus, there is no evidence to support the claim that Buhari was infected with COVID-19. The picture of the alleged broadcast was fabricated using another screenshot of a CNN show.
April 6, 2020
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61. Facebook posts falsely claim the US arrested a Chinese scientist who “created” coronavirus
Facebook posts shared thousands of times feature a video of US officials talking to reporters, with captions claiming they are announcing the arrest of a Chinese scientist who “created” the new coronavirus. However, the footage has nothing to do with COVID-19 and scientists have refuted allegations the virus was deliberately created.
April 3, 2020
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60. False claims that Nigeria is coronavirus-free circulate online
Posts shared thousands of times on Facebook in Canada claim that Nigeria was free of the novel coronavirus as early as March 2020. This is false; data from the World Health Organization and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) show that new cases have been reported every week in Nigeria since February 27.
April 3, 2020
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59. Ethiopia has not approved traditional medicine to treat COVID-19
An article shared hundreds of times on Facebook claims that the Ethiopian government has approved a traditional medicine treatment for COVID-19 after successful clinical trials on animals and humans. However, the Ministry of Health denied the claims and Capital Ethiopia, which published the story, has corrected its Facebook post.
April 3, 2020
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58. South African government denies asking landlords to stop collecting rent because of COVID-19
A notice shared on multiple social media platforms claims that South Africa’s president has prohibited landlords from collecting rent for three months in light of the novel coronavirus pandemic. However, the government has made no such announcement and has rejected the claim as false.
April 2, 2020
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57. Health authorities warn of false COVID-19 prevention tips online
Facebook posts shared thousands of times recommend various practices to prevent COVID-19, including gargling salt water, drinking tea and avoiding ice cream. Health experts told AFP there is no evidence to support these claims and say washing your hands regularly is the best way to stay healthy.
April 2, 2020
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56. Video of victims in a ditch is a scene from the 2007 US television series Pandemic
A video has been viewed thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook which claim it shows bodies of novel coronavirus victims being thrown into a ditch in Italy. The claim is false; the footage was taken from the 2007 US television programme Pandemic.
April 1, 2020
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55. Nigeria denies setting aside special coronavirus cash aid for citizens
A story shared hundreds of times in multiple social media posts in Nigeria claims the country announced a 30,000 naira ($83) relief payout for citizens to help them through the novel coronavirus pandemic. But the claim is false; the government denied making any announcement of the sort, while the author of the story admitted he got it wrong.
April 1, 2020
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54. Police dismissed the claims as a hoax, which were based on an old story
Multiple articles widely shared on Facebook claim that 59 church members died after drinking household disinfectant which their pastor said would prevent coronavirus infections. The claims, although based on an old story, are false -- South African police denied any current investigations on their part.
April 1, 2020
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53. Buckingham Palace did not say the Queen tested positive for coronavirus
Multiple news reports circulating in Nigeria claim that Buckingham Palace has announced Britain’s Queen Elizabeth tested positive for COVID-19. Although the Queen’s eldest son was diagnosed with the disease, the Palace said the monarch herself is “in good health”.
March 31, 2020
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52. No evidence drinking tea can cure or relieve symptoms of COVID-19, doctors say
A post shared repeatedly on WhatsApp and Facebook claims a Chinese doctor has discovered that drinking tea is effective in curing and relieving symptoms of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. The claim is false; health experts say there is insufficient scientific evidence to show that drinking tea is effective in preventing or curing COVID-19 infections; as of March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said there is no cure for COVID-19.
March 30, 2020
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51. Reopening date for South Africa’s schools has not been announced
Multiple posts on social media claim that schools in South Africa will reopen months from now in September, as a result of the increase in COVID-19 cases. The claims are false; the Department of Basic Education has not made any such announcement and refuted the claims.
March 29, 2020
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50. Video of looting was filmed years before the pandemic
Footage purportedly showing a looting spree in Mexico prompted by panic over the novel coronavirus was aired on multiple Facebook live streams and viewed by tens of thousands of people during the week of March 23, 2020. Posts sharing the streams claimed that the chaotic scene was happening in real-time. The claim is false; the streams showed old footage from a 2017 looting incident in Mexico that was being played on a loop.
March 27, 2020
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49. Image shows Brazil’s president crying, not Italy’s prime minister
A photo has been shared thousands of times in multiple Facebook posts alongside the claim that it shows Italy’s prime minister crying over the toll of the novel coronavirus epidemic. The claim is false; the photo shows Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro getting emotional during a Thanksgiving speech.
March 27, 2020
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48. Experts say eating garlic does not prevent COVID-19 -- and onions are no cure either
Multiple videos seen tens of thousands of times on Facebook claim garlic and onions can prevent and cure infection from novel coronavirus. This is false; the World Health Organization says garlic cannot prevent or treat COVID-19.
March 27, 2020
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47. Nigeria is not paying citizens for staying at home amidst coronavirus pandemic
A web publication shared hundreds of times on Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp in Nigeria claims the government will pay each citizen 8,500 naira ($23.60) monthly to encourage Nigerians to stay at home in a bid to slow down the spread of the novel coronavirus. But the claim is false; officials have dismissed the claim, and the author of the viral publication admitted it was incorrect.
March 27, 2020
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46. Photos do not show coffins of coronavirus victims
Photographs shared hundreds of times online purport to show the coffins of Italian victims of the novel coronavirus pandemic. The claim is false; the pictures date back to October 2013 when hundreds drowned in a boat tragedy in the Mediterranean.
March 27, 2020
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45. This photo shows coffins for dead migrants after a boat capsized off the coast of Italy in 2013
A photo of a room lined with coffins has been shared thousands of times in multiple Facebook posts that claim it shows Italian nationals killed during the novel coronavirus pandemic in 2020. The claim is false; the photo actually shows coffins for a group of dead migrants at an Italian airport in October 2013 after their boat sank off the coast of Italy.
March 26, 2020
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44. An old photo of Buhari from before the pandemic was doctored to add face masks
A photo circulating on Facebook in Nigeria appears to show President Muhammadu Buhari shaking hands with the nation’s Code of Conduct Bureau Chairman Mohammed Isa while both men are wearing face masks — a seeming flouting of precautions during the novel coronavirus pandemic. This is not what happened. The image was doctored using an old photo, taken long before the pandemic.
March 25, 2020
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43. Video shows Zimbabwe police beating opposition members, not churchgoers defying virus rules
A video shared thousands of times on Facebook claims to show police in Zimbabwe beating churchgoers because their place of worship refused to close to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The claims are false; the video was filmed before the virus outbreak. It shows opposition supporters being dispersed after gathering to hear their leader.
March 24, 2020
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42. Video does not show Chinese converting to Islam due to outbreak
A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube alongside a claim it shows Chinese people converting to Islam because the novel coronavirus epidemic does not affect Muslims. The claim is false: the video shows people converting to Islam in Saudi Arabia in May 2019, more than half year away before the novel coronavirus outbreak began in Wuhan, China in late 2019.
March 24, 2020
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41. Viral WhatsApp voice note in Nigeria makes misleading claims about COVID-19 fatalities projections
A viral WhatsApp voice note in Nigeria claims that the coronavirus could kill up to 45 million Nigerians. This is misleading, as data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) shows. The message makes several other false claims, which we debunk here.
March 24, 2020
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40. Ugandan and Kenyan authorities reject claims that they told landlords to stop rent collection
Posts circulating on social media claim that Ugandan and Kenyan authorities have instructed landlords to stop collecting rent due to the novel coronavirus. The claim is false; the countries have issued public guidance amid the pandemic, but there has been no official communication on rent payments and government officials dismissed the reports.
March 24, 2020
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39. Video does not show travellers stuck at Dakar airport due to novel coronavirus
A video purporting to show panic-stricken travellers infected with the novel coronavirus at an airport in Senegal has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook. However, these images are actually taken from a security exercise simulating a hostage-taking at Dakar airport in November 2019.
March 23, 2020
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38. Gargling warm salt water or vinegar does not prevent coronavirus infection, health experts say
A graphic has been shared thousands of times on Facebook which claims that gargling warm water with salt or vinegar can eliminate the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. The claim is false; international health authorities and experts do not list gargling as an effective remedy or prevention method for COVID-19.
March 23, 2020
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37. No evidence to support claim that Ghanaian president tested positive for the novel coronavirus
A story that has been shared thousands of times in social media posts claims Ghana’s president and a senior minister had tested positive for COVID-19. But the claim is false; there is no evidence to support the allegation and Ghana’s information minister has dismissed it.
March 20, 2020
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36. Major disease outbreaks are not tied to US election years
Facebook posts shared thousands of times claim US election years coincide with major disease outbreaks. These claims are misleading; several years of discovery or the associated spread of a disease do not match election years, national and international health organizations said.
March 18, 2020
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35. Scientists in Israel have not yet discovered a vaccine for COVID-19
An image shared thousands of times on Facebook purports to be evidence that Israel has developed a vaccine for the novel coronavirus. The claim is misleading; the image used to illustrate a vial of the new drug is originally a stock picture while the MIGAL Research Institute in Israel, despite having a head start, continues to work on a vaccine for COVID-19.
March 20, 2020
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34. False posts claim COVID-19 existed before 2019, use animal vaccines as proof
Facebook posts claim that the novel coronavirus is not a new disease, showing photos of vials of coronavirus vaccines for animals as evidence. This is false; coronaviruses affecting cattle or canines differ from the new virus strain affecting humans, for which no vaccine exists.
March 19, 2020
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33. South African health authorities urge public not to share hotline graphics with false information
Graphics displaying Department of Health logos with the COVID-19 hotline number for South Africa have been shared thousands of times on social media. While the toll-free number is correct, the information that follows is false, according to health authorities.
March 19, 2020
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32. Ugandan president has not announced elections postponement; officials dismiss claim
An article claiming Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has postponed next year’s general election to 2023 because of the global coronavirus spread has been shared thousands of times in multiple Facebook posts. The claim is false; an electoral commission official labelled it “nonsensical”.
March 18, 2020
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31. Hoax report claims Cristiano Ronaldo will convert his hotels into coronavirus hospitals
A claim that footballer Cristiano Ronaldo plans to turn his hotels in Portugal into hospitals for COVID-19 patients has been shared tens of thousands of times in multiple languages on various social media platforms. A spokesperson for the hotels said the claim was “inaccurate”; Ronaldo has also not mentioned any such plan on his social media platforms.
March 17, 2020
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30. South African schools close on March 19
A notice widely shared on WhatsApp claims that all schools in South Africa would close on Monday, March 16, 2020. This is false: The last day of school was Wednesday, March 18, as announced by South Africa’s Department of Basic Education.
March 16, 2020
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29. There have been no deaths from the novel coronavirus in South Africa (as of March 12, 2020)
An article shared thousands of times on Facebook claims a family of three died from the new coronavirus at a hospital in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province. The claim is false; there have been no deaths from the novel coronavirus in South Africa as of March 12, 2020. When the misleading article was published, there were zero confirmed cases in the province; as of March 12, there was one.
March 12, 2020
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28. Claim that drinking water with lemon can prevent COVID-19 is false
A text shared thousands of times on Facebook in various countries claims that drinking warm water with lemon protects against the novel coronavirus. But experts told AFP there’s no proof this is effective in preventing the disease and that practising good hygiene is the best way to stay healthy. The posts also include several other false claims.
March 12, 2020
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27. WHO refutes viral claims that holding your breath can test for COVID-19
Facebook posts shared thousands of times claim that holding your breath for more than 10 seconds is an effective test for the novel coronavirus, and that drinking water regularly can prevent the disease. The claims are false; the World Health Organization and other experts said there was no evidence to support these claims.
March 11, 2020
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26. There is no known cure for the novel coronavirus; a South African is not the first patient to be cured
An article shared thousands of times claims that a South African patient infected with COVID-19 was cured. This is misleading: there is currently no known cure for the disease and resultantly any infected patient’s return to health should be described as a recovery. Moreover, the patient in question has not yet been officially cleared.
March 11, 2020
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25. Health experts say drinking water every 15 minutes does not prevent coronavirus infection
Multiple posts on Facebook and Twitter shared hundreds of times claim that doctors in Japan advise people to drink water every 15 minutes in order to prevent being infected by the novel coronavirus, COVD-19. The claim is misleading; the World Health Organization (WHO) says drinking water does not prevent novel coronavirus infection; Japan has not issued a health advisory listing drinking water as a prevention method for COVID-19.
March 9, 2020
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24. Chloroquine has not been approved as a treatment for COVID-19 by leading international health experts
A WhatsApp voice message circulating in Nigeria claims that anti-malaria drug chloroquine phosphate is a cure for COVID-19. This is misleading: while a study found the molecule showed “apparent efficacy” in treating the disease, trials are still ongoing. Experts also warned against taking the drug without prescription. British officials have opened a probe into an illegal website selling the drug, following AFP's investigation.
March 9, 2020
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23. The Vatican did not say that Pope Francis had contracted novel coronavirus
A widely shared report on Facebook, Twitter and Reddit in February 2020 claims the Vatican disclosed that Pope Francis had been infected with the novel coronavirus. The claim is false; the Vatican said Pope Francis recently fell ill with a common cold; the site that published the misleading claim is not a reputable media organisation.
March 6, 2020
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22. An image from The Simpsons was digitally altered to make it look like it predicted the novel coronavirus
A series of screenshots from The Simpsons have been circulating online alongside claims that the TV show predicted the novel coronavirus outbreak. The claim is false; the montage features shots from two different episodes, one of which has been digitally altered to include the words “corona virus”.
March 5, 2020
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21. US disease experts did not issue novel coronavirus-related facial hair guide
US media reported the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued facial hair recommendations for novel coronavirus prevention, citing an infographic. This is misleading; the graphic about facial hair and respirator use is more than two years old and is unrelated to the recent deadly outbreak.
March 4, 2020
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20. A taxi driver is not threatening to spread COVID-19 across Nigeria
Multiple posts shared thousands of times on Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp claim a Nigerian cab driver contracted the coronavirus from an Italian passenger and went on the run, demanding N100 million ($275,000) from the government. This is false; the story originated from a parody account and has been denied by the man pictured in the claim and government officials. The actual driver has reportedly been quarantined.
March 3, 2020
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19. Image shows a Nigerian actor who died in 2017 -- not the pastor who ‘went to China to destroy coronavirus’
Thousands of Facebook users have shared a picture of a man hooked up to a dialysis machine alongside claims that he is a Nigerian pastor who travelled to China to “destroy coronavirus” and was hospitalised. This is false; the man in the picture is a Nigerian actor who died due to renal failure in 2017.
March 3, 2020
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18. Anti-malaria drug has not cured 12,552 novel coronavirus patients
A report in Nigeria claims that anti-malaria drug chloroquine has cured 12,552 novel coronavirus patients. This is misleading; the China National Center for Biotechnology Development confirmed the drug has “a certain curative effect on the novel coronavirus”, but did not say it cured 12,552 patients. The drug has only been used in clinical trials with “over 100 patients”.
February 21, 2020
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17. No cases of the novel coronavirus have been confirmed in Zimbabwe as of February 20, 2020
Articles shared hundreds of times on Facebook claim that Zimbabwe has confirmed its first case of the novel coronavirus. The reports were misleading; no confirmed cases had been recorded as of February 20, 2020. A suspected patient was admitted to hospital but tested negative for the virus.
February 20, 2020
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16. Video of crowds running was filmed before the novel coronavirus outbreak
A video shared hundreds of times on social media purports to show people running from a Chinese man who collapsed in Mauritania. The claim is false; the footage was shared online months before the start of the epidemic.
February 19, 2020
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15. There are no known deaths or confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Nigeria as of February 18, 2020
An article shared in multiple posts on Facebook and Twitter claims Lagos has seen nine confirmed coronavirus cases, including four deaths. But the claim is false; health officials told AFP there were no confirmed deaths or cases in the country as of February 18, 2020. The story was fabricated from recent reports on a Lassa Fever outbreak in central Nigeria.
February 18, 2020
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14. A Sudanese minister did not wear a mask to meet a Chinese diplomat
A photograph shared hundreds of times on social media purports to show a Sudanese minister wearing a surgical mask to protect himself during a meeting with a Chinese diplomat. However, the image has been Photoshopped.
February 18, 2020
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13. No confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus have been recorded in Ethiopia (as of February 17, 2020)
Several posts alleging the novel coronavirus has been found in Ethiopia are circulating on Facebook. However, the claims are misleading; as of February 17, 2020, there were no confirmed cases in the country, and Ethiopia’s health authorities said that 17 suspected cases all tested negative.
February 17, 2020
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12. Black people aren’t more resistant to novel coronavirus
Facebook posts shared thousands of times claim that a Cameroonian man living in China was cured of the novel coronavirus “because he has black skin”. Although a Cameroonian student was successfully treated for the illness, a doctor from a research centre specialised in the novel coronavirus told AFP there was “no scientific evidence” to suggest black people have a better chance of fighting the virus.
February 12, 2020
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11. Indian officials say novel coronavirus has not been found in poultry
A claim that novel coronavirus has been discovered in chicken raised for meat in Mumbai, India has been shared hundreds of times in multiple Facebook and Twitter posts. The claim is false; the Indian government’s Poultry Development Organization told AFP it was “absolutely wrong” and there is “no evidence” that novel coronavirus has been detected in poultry.
February 11, 2020
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10. Hoax report claims China sought Supreme Court approval to euthanise 20,000 coronavirus patients
An article claiming the Chinese government has sought Supreme Court approval to authorise the killing of more than 20,000 novel coronavirus patients in an effort to curb the growing epidemic has been shared hundreds of times in multiple posts on Facebook, Twitter and Reddit. The claim is false; the article was published on a site that has regularly produced hoax reports, and China has made no such announcement.
February 11, 2020
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9. Viral video does not show coronavirus patients in China
A video shared thousands of times in several languages purports to show coronavirus patients in China. The claim is false; the people in the footage are South African students taking part in a high-school initiation.
February 7, 2020
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8. Video does not show bat nests in roofs of Chinese houses
A video showing scores of bats nesting under tiles of a roof has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook that it shows the cause of the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak in China. The claim is false; the video has circulated online since at least July 2011 and actually shows repairs being made to the roof of a bat-infested house in the city of Miami in the United States.
February 7, 2020
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7. Video does not show Chinese president praying at mosque after novel coronavirus outbreak
A video has been viewed thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, shared alongside a claim that it showsChinese President Xi Jinping praying at a mosque following the novel coronavirus outbreak. The claim is false; this video has circulated since at least 2016 in media reports about his visit to a mosque in northwest China.
February 7, 2020
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6. Dettol’s manufacturer denied it tested its products on the novel strain of coronavirus
An image of a Dettol label that touts the disinfectant's ability to kill the coronavirus has been shared tens of thousands of times in multiple Facebook posts alongside a claim that the product’s maker may have been aware of the novel coronavirus before it broke out in China in December 2019. The claim is misleading; the cleaning product’s reference to “coronavirus” denotes its effectiveness in protecting people from a general group of viruses, including the common cold; Dettol’s manufacturer said it has not tested its products against the novel coronavirus.
February 6, 2020
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5. New coronavirus does not come from rhino horn
Multiple posts shared hundreds of times on Facebook claim the novel coronavirus comes from the use of rhino horn. The claim is false because not only is the source of the crisis in China still unknown, but the dead tissue that rhino horn consists of also cannot sustain a virus, which needs living cells to replicate.
February 4, 2020
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4. Health authorities did not say drinking water will prevent coronavirus
Facebook posts shared thousands of times in various countries claim that drinking water can prevent coronavirus. Many posts present the information as “health bulletins” from the officials in Canada or the Philippines. However, authorities have issued no such advice.
February 4, 2020
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3. Photo does not show people who have died of new coronavirus in China
A photo of people lying down on the ground has been shared thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook alongside a claim it shows people who died from the new coronavirus in China. The claim is false; the image shows people participating in an art project in 2014 to remember the victims of the Nazi's Katzbach concentration camp in Frankfurt.
February 3, 2020
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2. Chinese authorities have not recorded 300,000 confirmed novel coronavirus cases; there is no precise figure available for overall infections (as of February 4, 2020)
A story that has been shared in multiple posts on Facebook in Nigeria claims that more than 300,000 Chinese people have been infected with the novel coronavirus. The claim is misleading: Chinese health authorities have recorded just over 20,400 confirmed cases as of February 4, 2020, and experts say that there is currently no precise figure available for overall infections.
February 3, 2020
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1. Video does not show Chinese market where new coronavirus strain emerged
A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook that claim it shows a market in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where a new coronavirus strain emerged. The claim is false; the video shows a market in Indonesia’s Sulawesi island.
January 27, 2020
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