Fact Check: COVID-19 Does Not Spread Through Meat

The total number of patients infected by the coronavirus or COVID-19 in India now stands at 28.

Of this, 16 are Italian tourists who have been quarantined in Delhi.

On Monday, two positive cases were reported in the country - one in Delhi and the other in Telangana. Following this 6 cases were confirmed in Agra, 1 in Telangana, and 16 Italian tourists and 1 Indian driver in Rajasthan tested positive.

Amidst all this, the hashtag #NoMeatNoCoronavirus is trending on Twitter attacking the non-vegetarians in the country and holding them responsible for "bringing" the disease to India.

The trend also urges people to give up meat and go vegan if they want to survive the pandemic.

Claim:

Coronavirus spreads from non-vegetarian food.

The tweets claim that the 2019 nCoV virus can be spread through eating meat and that only meat-eaters would be affected by the disease. These claims revolve around the central idea that God did not intend for humans to be meat-eaters, and therefore anyone who isn't a pure vegetarian is committing a sin.

Even PETA tweeted: 'Scientists have a hunch that contact with live animals or their dead flesh may be the source of the deadly virus'

Twitter users, including several vegans, have criticized the organization for the 'inaccurate' message.

Fact Check:

A coronavirus is a type of virus which can cause illness in animals and people. Viruses break into cells inside their host and use them to reproduce itself and disrupt the body's normal functions.

The new coronavirus is a respiratory virus which spreads primarily through contact with an infected person through respiratory droplets generated when a person, for example, coughs or sneezes, or through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose.

The Logical Indian spoke to G Devegowda, President, Institution of Veterinarians of Poultry Industry who reiterated the same view and called the message, "fake and without any scientific basis."

"Nowhere in the world is it known that Coronavirus can spread through meat," he said.

"Coronavirus is not transmitted through food - be it chicken or meat. There is no scientific or medical evidence to show that Coronavirus can transmit from meat," he opined.

He advised people to consume meat including chicken like they always had.

"Consumers need not worry about any type of food," he added.

Therefore, there is no scientific evidence backing the claim that Coronavirus is spreading through chickens.

As long as one is properly cleaning and cooking food items, especially meat, one should be safe and healthy.

How Does The Virus Spread?

The illness can spread between people just through coughs and sneezes, making it an extremely contagious infection. And it may also spread even before someone has symptoms.

It is believed to travel in the saliva and even through the water in the eyes. Therefore close contact, kissing, and sharing cutlery or utensils are all risky.

Originally, people were thought to be catching it from a live animal market in Wuhan city. But cases soon began to emerge in people who had never been there, which forced medics to realise it was spreading from person to person.

There is now evidence that it can spread third hand – to someone from a person who caught it from another person.

If you have any news that you believe needs to be fact-checked, please email us at factcheck@thelogicalindian.com or WhatsApp at 6364000343

Also Read: Fact Check: No, Coronavirus Does Not Spread Through Broiler Chickens