A video which has been shared multiple times online claims that drinking hot water six times daily can help cure Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).
The narration in the one minute thirty-one seconds video states that, drinking hot water and tea can cure COVID-19, because steamy water makes the COVID-19 virus die slowly.
“Do you know how they controlled the virus? It was in this manner. The Chinese drink hot water six times a day. They also drink hot milk and tea four times daily. That’s not all, they inhale the steam as many times a day as possible,” the video claims.
“When you do this for four days, the COVID-19 within you slowly dies off and you are cured on the fifth day.”
It attributed the measure as the solution adopted by the Chinese people and was largely responsible as to how the Chinese government was able to control the virus.
THE CLAIM
That drinking of hot water six times daily, drinking of tea four times daily and inhaling steam can cure COVID-19.
THE FINIDNGS
The claim is found to be false as the World Health Organisation (WHO), the body managing global health responses is yet to announce a cure for the disease.
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is defined as an ailment caused by a new strain of coronavirus known as the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2). The WHO described infectious disease as a respiratory pathogen.
It was first reported to WHO on the 31st of December, 2019 in Wuhan, China.
Since the outbreak, as of November 9, 50, 459, 886 cases have been recorded globally, 1,257,523 deaths confirmed in 219 countries.
In Nigeria, the disease has claimed 1,158 deaths from a total of 64, 184 cases while 60, 069 have been discharged as of Monday, November 9.
Findings from the WHO, shows it spreads mainly through ‘droplets generated when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose.”
One of the best ways to keep safe as recommended by the WHO is to maintain the guideline which includes social distancing of at least 1 metres, and adherence to proper handwashing hygiene.
In its advice to the public titled myth busters, the global health organisation provided clarifications on some information considered as false. The above claim was among. It states that exposure to hot temperatures or temperatures higher than 25 Degree does not protect people from the COVID-19.
“There are currently no drugs licensed for the treatment or prevention of COVId-19,” the WHO states.
Furthermore, a professor of Immunology, Dr. Ganiyu Arinola, says the assumption that drinking hot water will rid the body of the coronavirus is untrue.
In addition, “There is no evidence that hot drinks will protect against viral infections,” says Ron Eccles, an expert in respiratory diseases at Cardiff University in the UK and former director of the Common Cold Centre, BBC reports.
Several fact-checks have previously debunked various claims attributing different hot water mix as cure of COVID-19.
The logo found at the top-right edge of the viral footage is similar to that of Sun Fm 98.9/98.7. The broadcasting station is owned by the Asia Broadcasting Corporation Private Limited based in Sri Lanka.
Repeated calls to the mobile number found on the website of the media firm were not answered. An email sent to verify if the viral video emanated from them and what is the source(s) relied upon to make the claims was not replied.
The FactCheckHub has earlier found a claim presenting a cure to COVID-19 to be misleading because the medication presented was not yet certified by the appropriate bodies.
THE VERDICT
The claim suggesting that drinking of hot water six times daily, tea four times daily and inhaling of steam would help cure COVID-19 is FALSE.
There are no publicly verifiable evidence to substantiate the assertion and the World Health Organisation (WHO) is yet to announce a cure.
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The general sentiment is that hot drink promotes a warm internal system that helps the body stay in fight off mode, that that hot water cures it. It also helps to break up congestion and hardening of the throat and sinus wallls that is often a Covid experience. NOT that it cures it.