CLAIM
With almost 170 confirmed cases of coronavirus and three reported deaths in India, and a global death toll that has crossed 8,000, governments across the world are scrambling to contain the pandemic.
But the fake news factory is as energetic as ever in spreading misinformation about the novel coronavirus. A WhatsApp message attributed to Dr Naresh Trehan, chairman and MD of Medanta Hospital, claims that India is soon going to declare a national emergency and hence people should stock up on essentials such as milk, rations, medicines and cash.
The same message is being shared on Facebook as well.
WHAT’S THE TRUTH?
The official handle of Medanta Hospital tweeted Dr Naresh Trehan’s statement saying that the message in question is fake and that he has not said any such thing.
“Please disregard this message. This can lead to panic buying, hoarding and stampeding banks. This is not the need of the hour,” he said in a statement.
Further, Madhu Trehan, Dr Naresh Trehan’s wife, also tweeted that the message is being falsely attributed to him.
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