WebQoof Recap: From Unproven COVID Cures To Fake Letter on Kumbh

From unproven cures for coronavirus to a fake letter in the name of NSA Ajit Doval 'lauding' Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Om Prakash’s efforts during the Kumbh Mela, here’s a round-up of all that misled the public this week.

1. Fact Check: Smelling Camphor Can’t ‘Increase’ Body Oxygen Levels

A message going viral on social media claims that smelling a combination of camphor, cloves (laung), carrom seeds (ajwain) and a few drops of eucalyptus oil can help in increasing oxygen levels in the body. The viral message is accompanied by a photo showing the above-mentioned ingredients on a small white cloth.

Also Read: UP ‘Tops’ COVID Management Across the World? Govt, Media Misreport

Dr Aditya Agarwal, a pulmonologist and chest specialist based in Mumbai, dismissed the claim.

"It's a myth. Smelling camphor does not increase oxygen levels. Smelling camphor clears blockages in the nasal passage that gives the feeling of better airflow," he said in a phone conversation with The Quint.

You can read the full story here.

2. No, Having Raw Onions and Salt Cannot Cure Coronavirus

A claim going viral on the internet says that having raw onions and Himalayan salt (pink) (Sendha Namak) can cure one of COVID-19 and make them test negative for the virus.

However, we found that while onion has some antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory qualities, there is no data or study to prove that onions can be used as therapy/cure for COVID-19.

You can read the full story here.

Also Read: Image of Bhopal’s Crematorium Ground Shared as ‘BJP-led Gujarat’

3. Video of Crowd at Funeral in UP Viral As ‘Hyderabad Iftar Party’

A video showing a huge gathering of people at a funeral procession in a madrasa in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal is being shared with a false claim that it is from an Iftar party in Hyderabad.

Speaking to The Quint, Sambhal Police officials confirmed that people turned up in large numbers to attend the funeral procession of Maulana Momin despite permission being denied by the cops in light of a surge in COVID cases.

Read the full story here.

Also Read: Image of Overcrowded Nagpur Hospital Shared as ‘Gujarat Model’

4. No, NSA Ajit Doval Didn’t Write a Letter Lauding Kumbh Efforts

A viral letter purportedly written by National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval lauding Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Om Prakash’s efforts during the Kumbh Mela held in Haridwar is doing the rounds on social media.

However, we compared the viral letter with an official one and noticed that a huge portion of the text had been lifted from the latter. We also noticed few grammatical and spelling errors. Further, government officials have also called the letter “fake”.

You can read the full story here.

Also Read: Old Pic of Yogi at Kumbh Mela Falsely Linked to Him Testing COVID+

5. Images From UK, Indonesia Passed off as Ramadan Crowd in India

As the cases of coronavirus continue to rise in the country, multiple users on Saturday, 17 April, took to Twitter to share a few pictures of mass gatherings insinuating that the pictures are recent and from India.

In fact, these pictures were shared with ‘#BanRamzanGatherings’, which became one of the top trends on the platform with over 25,000 tweets at the time of writing this story.

Of the four images, three images don’t have anything to do with Ramadan celebrations in India. The one which is from India is from 2018.

You can read the full story here.

Also Read: No, These Images Don’t Show the Current COVID Situation in India

(Not convinced of a post or information you came across online and want it verified? Send us the details on WhatsApp at 9643651818, or e-mail it to us at webqoof@thequint.com and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.)

. Read more on WebQoof by The Quint.Devdutt Padikkal on Batting With Kohli & Tips From RCB StalwartsWebQoof Recap: From Unproven COVID Cures To Fake Letter on Kumbh . Read more on WebQoof by The Quint.