Corona virus: fake messages on WhatsApp on the go

Two chain letters are currently going around on WhatsApp. These allegedly contain insider information from China and information on the prevention and treatment of the coronavirus. Particularly bad: This false information allegedly comes from a doctor from Wuhan, the Chinese city where the virus was first detected. Debunk portals such as mimikama.at or the Südwestrundfunk warn against this. PCtipp recommends simply deleting such messages and, if known, notifying the sender of the incorrect information.

One text starts with these sentences:

«My classmate’s uncle and niece have a master’s degree and work at Shenzhen Hospital. He will be taken to Wuhan to study the pneumonia virus. »

The second text starts like this:

«I send text without editing or editing. But everything is clear. And it can be useful. Information from a person who has graduated from a magistrate and works in a hospital in Shenzhen. »

In both cases there are long texts with sometimes hair-raising translated tips for treatment and prevention.

PCtipp recommends: It is best to ignore the circulating WhatsApp messages on this topic. Current and reliable information on dealing with the corona virus and on prevention can be found primarily on the website of the Federal Office of Public Health.

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