FALSE: Natural ginger ale a ‘cure for coronavirus’

Claim: Ginger ale is an effective cure for the 2019 novel coronavirus (nCoV), according to Facebook page Natural Cures : Halamang Gamot.

“Gamot sa coronavirus: Kung sakaling magkaroon man kayo nito.. wag muna kayo kakain sa loob NG 24hrs. At maglaga kayo NG luyang original or salabat at ito Ang gawin ninyong tubig pero kailangan lagi ito mainit.. iinumin ninyo ito hanggang 3 araw na walang patid..or sanayin na ninyo mag inum nito..” the page said in a post on February 9.

(Cure for coronavirus: If ever you contract this disease, don’t eat anything within 24 hours. Boil ginger or make warm ginger ale and make this your water. Drink this continuously for 3 days.)

The post included steps on how to properly boil and consume ginger ale, saying that adding more of the plant in the mixture will “kill the virus faster.” The page recommended drinking it on an empty stomach.

The page also claimed that the virus does not thrive in a hot environment, and warned against drinking cold water once the disease is contracted.

As of writing, the post has had over 3,400 shares, 2,100 reactions, and 95 comments. Rappler spotted the post via social monitoring tool CrowdTangle.

Rating: FALSE

The facts: The World Health Organization (WHO) said drinking traditional herbal teas is “not specifically recommended as 2019-nCoV remedies as they are not effective to protect yourself and can be even harmful.”

There is still no known specific medicine to cure or prevent the 2019-nCoV to date, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (LIST: Where to get official, reliable info on novel coronavirus)

Instead, both WHO and CDC said people diagnosed with the novel coronavirus should receive appropriate and optimized care to relieve and treat symptoms.

Preventive measures recommended by both institutions include proper hygiene, safe food practices, and avoiding contact with people showing symptoms of coronavirus.

There is also no basis for the page’s claim that the virus does not thrive in a hot environment. As pointed out in an earlier fact check, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III already said that “[there is] no report or advisory coming from WHO to that effect. Whether it is less infectious or the cool weather in China at this time is helping propagate [the virus] is pure speculation.” – Pauline Macaraeg/Rappler.com

Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.

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