The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) on Monday dismissed allegations of an incident being circulated on social media, regarding two persons dying from COVID-19 after collapsing at the medical facility.
In a statement, the institution noted with concern that the fake information purportedly suggested that two persons arrived at the facility to be tested for the coronavirus. However, they collapsed and died. The creator of the post also contended that doctors of GPHC suspected that the persons may have succumbed to COVID-19.
In addressing the issue, the corporation clarified that no such incident occurred and the information was “fallacious”.
“We wish to assure the public that no such incident occurred at the GPHC. The post is entirely fabricated and fallacious, and the Management strongly condemns this mischievous and reckless action,” the statement read.
An appeal was made to the public to desist from making false claims that peddle misinformation and induce panic.
“We urge persons to act responsibly and refrain from sharing this misleading post. Further, we take this opportunity to remind the public to adhere to the Ministry of Health’s guidelines: wear your masks correctly, wash or sanitise your hands frequently and practice physical distancing.”
Just last week, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony alluded to the degree of misinformation that has been circulating about the virus, spreading quickly and creating anxiety among the population.
“In addition to the real or perceived challenges of the pandemic, we now also have an infodemic. This phenomenon is characterised by a flood of fake news and misinformation, that is spread on social media and other outlets, it travels faster and further and the erroneous message is quickly amplified. These false messages have catalysed to raise people’s anxiety and fears and has become a real threat in disrupting our public health programmes,” the Minister had shared.
