The Health Department has dismissed social media reports of a new Covid-19 variant and asked the public to ignore the misleading message, saying the intention was simply to cause unnecessary panic.
The old fake news post about the Omicron XBB variant circulating on social media platforms advises people to wear face masks, claiming the variant is deadly and not easily detectable, reports TimesLIVE.
“This is a misleading message which resurfaced during the peak of the pandemic without a traceable source,” said the department, adding that Covid-19 was still circulating at relatively low levels around the country, just as in other parts of the world.
“The current strain or variant in circulation is less severe and less transmissible.”
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Health department flags ‘charcoal’ social media posts
COVID vaccines not linked to shingles or other painful skin disorders — Social media fact check
South Africans still dying but COVID vaccine drive slows to a trickle