Top 10 Coronavirus Myths in Kenya
6-year-old boy succumbs to Coronavirus confirming that “COVID-19 is not for the old”
In Summary: 12 more test positive bringing the total number of coronavirus positive cases to 122.
Coronavirus has claimed one more life, a six-year-old boy, bringing the total number of coronavirus deaths in Kenya to four.
The six-year-old boy was receiving treatment at the Kenyatta National Hospital.
The first coronavirus death in Kenya was recorded on March 13, 2020.
The number of Coronavirus positive cases in Kenya has risen to 122 after 12 more patients tested positive on Friday April 3, 2020.
On the other hand, the coronavirus death toll in Kenya has risen to 4 after a six-year-old boy succumbed to the COVID-19 virus on Friday April 3, 2020 confirming that coronavirus is not meant for the old, a myth which many Kenyans have always believed.
Other Coronavirus myths held by Kenyans include
- Coronavirus can be weakened by spraying chlorine or alcohol on the skin.
On the contrary, chlorine and alcohol can only be used to disinfect surfaces, not the skin.
- Only the old generation is at risk of contracting the COVID-19.
Much as the older generation is more predisposed to the Coronavirus, no one is immune to it.
- Children and the youth cannot contract the novel coronavirus.
Just like any other generation, youth and children are not immune to COVID-19. In fact a six-year-old boy died in Kenya on Friday March 3, 2020 to confirm that the coronavirus is not meant for the older generation only.
- COVID-19 is just flu that will come and pass.
Despite the similar symptoms like fever and cough, the overall profile of the COVID-19 is more fatal than that of flu.
- Coronavirus is spread by dogs and cats.
This is another common coronavirus myth. There is no scientific evidence linking the coronavirus to dogs and cats.
- If you contract COVID-19, you are likely to die.
This is a blatant lie. If anything, most coronavirus patients recover and get back to their feet after the pandemic.
- Face masks can protect one from the Coronavirus
Face masks can effectively protect those not yet infected by the coronavirus since they shield them from droplets of an infected coronavirus patient. Besides, professional health care workers whose masks fit perfectly well have contracted the COVID-19. So how safe are you with a face mask. The best bet is maintaining social distancing.
- You have to maintain close contact with an infected person for at least 10 minutes to get the coronavirus
The longer the contact time with an infected person, the more the risk of contracting the coronavirus but you can still contract it in less than 10 minutes.
- Home remedies such as Garlic can cure the coronavirus
Although scientific research indicates that garlic might slow down the growth of some bacterial species, it cannot work for the coronavirus since COVID-19 is a virus whose cure or vaccine is yet to be discovered.
- The coronavirus cannot survive in spring when there are extremely high temperatures
Some viruses such as cold and flu spread easily during colder months but that does not mean that they stop spreading entirely when temperatures rise.
The same case applies to the Coronavirus since there is no scientific evidence that the coronavirus will stop spreading in Spring.
