A viral WhatsApp forward claims that COVID experts at Mumbai’s Nanavati Hospital have informed that the following four “treatments” are given to coronavirus positive patients — warm water with lemon, ginger and jaggery mixed with ghee, hot milk with turmeric and steam once a day.
Alt News has received several requests on WhatsApp to fact-check the message.
Fake message
The same message was circulating on Twitter and Nanavati Hospital replied to several users clarifying that none of its doctors has recommended the aforestated recipes as treatment.
While Vitamin C and others help boost immunity against any infection or illness, these are not recommended treatments by our doctors for Corona Virus patients. Please follow any treatment protocols only after consulting your doctor.
— Nanavati Hospital (@Nanavati_H) May 19, 2020
Recurring scientific misinformation
That lemon-infused water (Vitamin C) protects against COVID-19 is a false claim viral since the outbreak of the disease. An Alt News Sci Check published in March informed that there is no evidence suggesting that Vitamin C gets rid of the novel coronavirus.
Turmeric, ginger and hot steam are also home “remedies” advised by certain ayurvedic doctors however none of them can prevent or cure the spread of the disease. Drinking hot water, washing it down, gargling or steaming with any other substances will not destroy the virus.
The claim that Nanavati Hospital has recommended lemon-infused water, turmeric, ginger and steam as “treatment” for COVID-19 is dangerous misinformation.
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