Part of a series on the |
COVID-19 pandemic |
---|
|
![]() |
During the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, many people began to spread false or un-confirmed data and information. This included politicians and other government officials from administrations in several countries. Misinformation about the virus, includes, its origin, how it spreads, and methods of preventing and curing the disease. Some downplayed the threat of the pandemic, and made false statements about preventative measures, death rates and testing within their own countries. Some have also spread COVID-19 vaccine misinformation.
Argentina
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20210310091941im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/94/Alberto_Fern%C3%A1ndez_2019.png/179px-Alberto_Fern%C3%A1ndez_2019.png)
Argentinian president Alberto Fernández and health minister Ginés García have been accused of spreading misinformation related to COVID-19 multiple times.
In a radio interview Fernández recommended drinking warm drinks since "heat kills the virus". Scientific studies proved that this information is false. Fernández, in response to criticism, later said: "It's a virus that, according to all medical reports in the world, dies at 26ºC. Argentina was in a climatic scenario where temperature was around 30ºC so it would be hard for the virus to survive." He later added: "The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends us to drink warm drinks since heat kills the virus"; however, the WHO did not recommend that at all.[1]
On June, in a press conference, Buenos Aires Province governor Axel Kicillof falsely stated that Spain was in an extremely strict lockdown at that time. A few hours later, the Spanish embassy in Argentina denied it.[2]
Brazil
Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro openly attempted to force state and municipal governments to revoke social isolation measures they had begun by launching an anti lockdown campaign called "o Brasil não pode parar" (Brazil can't stop). It received massive backlash both from the media and from the public, and was blocked by the supreme court justice.[3][4]
Some analysts have noted that Bolsonaro's positions mimic those of US president Donald Trump, who also tried to downplay the pandemic and then pressured states to abandon social distancing.[5]
Cambodia
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen downplayed the risk of the virus and demanded the public not wear face masks during a press conference while the initial outbreak in China was ongoing.[6][7]
China
The Chinese government has engaged in disinformation to downplay the emergence of COVID-19 in China and manipulate information about its spread around the world.[8][9] The government also detained whistleblowers and journalists claiming they were spreading rumors when they were publicly raising concerns about people being hospitalized for a "mysterious illness" resembling SARS.[10][11]
The blame for the failure to report cases of COVID-19 at the onset is unclear because of the difficulty pinpointing it as a failure by either local or national officials.[12] The AP reported that, "increasing political repression has made officials more hesitant to report cases without a clear green light from the top."[12] There are ongoing investigations in an effort to understand what happened, including an investigation by the World Health Organization (WHO) which will probe into what Wuhan officials knew at the time of the outbreak.[13]Cuba
Cuban president Miguel Díaz Canel claimed on Twitter that Cuban Interferon alfa-2b was being used to treat and cure COVID-19 in China, linking to an article written by state-owned newspaper Granma.[a] The Chinese embassy in Cuba also made similar claims. Several Latin American news outlets[14][15] relayed the story, which was also relayed on social media, and the claims were eventually translated to Portuguese and French.[16] In reality, the interferon was made by a Chinese company, in China, using Cuban technology, and it was under clinical trials in China as a potential cure, but it was not actively being used as such, as the claims suggested.[16]
Egypt
Twitter suspended thousands of accounts linked to El Fagr, an Egypt-based media group "taking direction from the Egyptian government" to "amplify messaging critical of Iran, Qatar and Turkey."[17][18]
Estonia
On 27 February 2020, the Estonian Minister of the Interior Mart Helme said at a government press conference that the common cold had been renamed as the coronavirus and that in his youth nothing like that existed. He recommended wearing warm socks and mustard patches as well as spreading goose fat on one's chest as treatments for the virus. Helme also said the virus would pass within a few days to a week, just like the common cold.[19]
Indonesia
Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto told citizens to relax and avoid working overtime to avoid contracting the disease[20] and falsely claimed that flu had a higher mortality rate.[21] Several Indonesian civil society groups called for his dismissal.[22]
Iran
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20210310091941im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/Ali_Khamenei_in_2020_Friday_Prayer_06.jpg/220px-Ali_Khamenei_in_2020_Friday_Prayer_06.jpg)
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the US created "a special version" of the virus that is "specifically built for Iran using the genetic data of Iranians which they have obtained through different means".[23][24]
Bahrain accused Iran of "biological aggression that is criminalised by international law" by lying about the extent of the outbreak in Iran.[25]
Malaysia
Newly appointed Health Minister Adham Baba falsely claimed during his first television interview in the role on March 19 that drinking warm water could "flush" away SARS-CoV-2, where it would be killed by stomach acid. The clip went viral and received widespread criticism.[26][27] His statements were refuted by Health Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah, who said "the practice of the Ministry of Health, whether for treatment or management, is based on evidence."[28] Noor Hisham later took over press briefings and leadership through the pandemic in Malaysia after Baba was sidelined by the government for his early statements.[27]
Mexico
In late March 2020 Mexico's federal government was strongly criticised for responding slowly to the COVID-19 pandemic.[29] President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has continued to hold rallies, be tactile with crowds, and downplay the threat of the pandemic to Mexicans' health and to the Mexican economy.[30][31]
Myanmar
Chief Minister of Tanintharyi U Myint Mg shared a Burmese Facebook post on his account that falsely claimed that eating onions is a way to prevent spread of COVID-19, and that the Chinese government were encouraging this during their outbreak.[20]
North Korea
North Korean officials have continued to report that there are no confirmed cases in the country.[32] It was reported that doctors had been told to not discuss COVID-19 as to not damage the reputation and image of Kim Jong-un.[33]
Russia
The European Union watchdog group EUvsDisinfo reported that Russia was pushing what they believe was false information related to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic through "pro-Kremlin outlets".[34] On 18 March, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov denounced the findings.[35] Mark Galeotti, a RUSI Senior Associate Fellow, questioned these claims and wrote that "it seems strange that the Kremlin itself would launch and push a disinformation campaign at the very time it is clearly launching a soft-power charm offensive on the back of the pandemic."[36]
A social media joke suggesting lions had been freed to keep people off the streets in Moscow was passed around as if it were true.[37][38]
The Russian government has engaged in disinformation by publishing false case figures and death counts, by leaving out asymptomatic cases.[39][40]
Serbia
As the number of infections rose throughout Europe, on 26 February 2020 president Aleksandar Vučić called a press conference where he addressed the possibility of the virus impacting Serbia. This news conference made headlines after a pulmonologist, Dr. Branimir Nestorović, made joking statements about the virus, calling it "the most laughable virus in the history of mankind" and suggested that women should travel to then virus-affected Italy for shopping because "estrogen protects them". The president, who was visible in the background expressing amusement and chuckling at this during the TV broadcast, later denied any accusations of portraying the virus as such by Dr. Nestorović.[41]
In April 2020, a decree that limited access to public information about COVID-19 was announced and a journalist was arrested for writing an article on alleged shortages of medical equipment and neglect of medical staff, but after public outcry and reactions from the EU, RSF, and IPI, charges were dropped and the journalist released.[42][43][44] The declared goal of the decree was to limit the spread of fake news about SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 in Serbia. On 21 April 2020, Dr. Predrag Kon, a guest on the Ćirilica TV show on Happy TV, confirmed the lack of medical supplies.[45][46]
On 22 June, the BIRN (Balkan Investigative Reporting Network) released an official document from the government's COVID-19 database stating that from 19 March to 1 June, there were 632 COVID-19-related deaths, compared to 244–388 more than officially reported. The database also showed there to have been more new daily cases, between 300 and 340 compared to the official 97. Throughout the pandemic, many government critics and opposition leaders have accused the government of purposely downscaling the numbers so the vote turnout would surpass the 50% percent for the parliamentary elections.[47]
During an interview on RTS 1, Vučić showed pictures of hospital beds, oxygen canisters and ventilators,[48] accusing political opponents of spreading fake news to the effect that hospitals in Novi Pazar and Tutin did not have the medical equipment they needed. On 5 July, a syndicate of pharmacists and doctors accused the president of spreading untrue statements regarding the equipment and of taking credit for combating the pandemic, denying facts from Raška oblast, and presenting a false impression of the state of the Serbian healthcare system. They state that the photographs were taken on 6 April when Vučić personally had the ventilators delivered to the region. None of those photographs show ventilators in use, or the 10 ventilators claimed.[49]
Sweden
Officials from Sweden misrepresented data from a 7 July 2020 report comparing Sweden to Finland to claim that the "closing of schools had no measurable effect on the number of cases of COVID-19 among children," neglecting that testing among Swedish children was almost non-existent when compared to Finnish children.[50] However, the Public Health Agency and the Minister of Education still cited this report as justification for not closing schools.[50]
In April 2020, scientists and physicians criticized the Swedish government for the 105 deaths per day in the country at the time, but the Public Health Agency and Anders Tegnell (the Public Health Agency epidemiologist in charge of the country's pandemic response) wrongly claimed that the actual number was 60 deaths per day in response.[50] The revised government figures later showed that the critics were right.[50]
Tanzania
Authorities stopped reporting case numbers in May 2020 after President John Magufuli alleged that the national laboratory was returning false positives. On 4 May, President John Magufuli suspended the head of testing at Tanzania's national health laboratory and fired its director after the lab allegedly returned false positive test results. Magufuli said he'd deliberately submitted biological samples from a papaya, a quail and a goat to test the laboratory's accuracy; the lab diagnosed these samples as positive for coronavirus.[51]
Turkmenistan
Reporters Without Borders reported that the government of Turkmenistan had banned the word "coronavirus" and that people could be arrested for wearing masks or discussing the pandemic.[52][53] The organization later corrected their report, clarifying that the word itself was not banned, but maintaining it had been removed from informational brochures and the government was restricting information about the virus and providing "very one-sided information".[54] According to Chronicles of Turkmenistan, state media did not begin reporting on the measures that had been taken until 25 March.[55] The BBC quoted an anonymous Turkmen citizen who said citizens may get into trouble for suggesting that COVID-19 had spread to Turkmenistan. The BBC article also states that the Turkmen government is working to control a possible outbreak.[56]
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20210310091941im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Donald_Trump_Pentagon_2017.jpg/167px-Donald_Trump_Pentagon_2017.jpg)
United Kingdom
In April 2020, the UK Statistics Authority criticised Secretary of State of Health and Social Care Matt Hancock for claiming that the target of 100,000 tests per day had been reached, when this was achieved through changing method by which tests were counted.[58][59][60] In June 2020, the independent body renewed its criticism, with Chair David Norgrove saying "the aim seems to be to show the largest possible number of tests, even at the expense of understanding".[61][62]
United States
Venezuela
In a 27 February 2020 announcement, Nicolás Maduro warned that the COVID-19 disease might be a "biological weapon" created against China and the rest of the world.[66][67]
Through social media, Maduro has supported the use of herbal infusions to cure COVID-19. On March, Twitter deleted a tweet by Maduro that quoted the works of Sergio Quintero, a Venezuelan doctor that claims having found a natural antidote against the sickness, as well as argued that the virus was created by the United States as a biological weapon. The Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC) rejected his publication, and both Agence France-Presse and other fact checking sites have described Quintero's publications as false and misleading.[68][69][70]
Maduro's administration has authorized the use of chloroquine, a medication to treat malaria that can cause heart problems if not used properly,[71] and interferon alfa-2b,[71] an antiviral used on a small scale in China that has been promoted by Cuba's government, labeled sometimes even as a "vaccine".[72] Chloroquine and interferon alfa-2b's efficacy against COVID-19 has not been demonstrated by international organizations.[71]
On 24 March, Maduro accused Colombia of promoting the "intentional infection" of Venezuelan migrants that returned to their country, saying they were "biological weapon" and threatening them with quarantine. Local authorities have repeated the accusations since.[73]
Notes
- ^ Granma is owned by the ruling political party in Cuba, the Communist Party of Cuba.
References
- ^ Lucía, Martínez (12 March 2020). "Alberto Fernández: "La OMS recomienda que uno tome muchas bebidas calientes porque el calor mata al virus"" [Alberto Fernández: "The WHO recommends that one drink many hot drinks because heat kills the virus"]. Chequeado (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 4 August 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
- ^ "Embajada en Argentina desmiente que haya cuarentena en España" [Argentine embassy denies that there is quarantine in Spain]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 1 August 2020. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
- ^ Watson K (29 March 2020). "Coronavirus: Brazil's Bolsonaro in denial and out on a limb". BBC News. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- ^ Cowie S. "Deny and defy: Bolsonaro's approach to the coronavirus in Brazil". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 1 April 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- ^ Ward A (30 March 2020). "Coronavirus: How Trump and other world leaders who denied the threat endangered us". Vox. Archived from the original on 31 March 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- ^ Ehrlich, Richard S. (2020-02-13). "In sickness and health, Cambodia kowtows to China". Asia Times. Archived from the original on 2020-12-17. Retrieved 2021-01-27.
- ^ "'Foolish decision': Scary response to coronavirus from China's neighbours as death toll hits 492". NZ Herald. Archived from the original on 2021-02-06. Retrieved 2021-01-27.
- ^ Cook, Sarah. "Welcome to the New Era of Chinese Government Disinformation". thediplomat.com.
- ^ Wong, Edward; Rosenberg, Matthew; Barnes, Julian E. (April 22, 2020). "Chinese Agents Helped Spread Messages That Sowed Virus Panic in U.S., Officials Say" – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ Shih, Gerry; Knowles, Hannah (2020-02-04). "A Chinese doctor was one of the first to warn about coronavirus. He got detained - and infected". Washington Post. Retrieved 2021-02-10.
- ^ Yu, Verna (2020-02-07). "'Hero who told the truth': Chinese rage over coronavirus death of whistleblower doctor". the Guardian. Retrieved 2021-01-30.
- ^ a b "China didn't warn public of likely pandemic for 6 key days". AP NEWS. 2020-04-15. Retrieved 2021-01-30.
- ^ "Covid: WHO probe team in China exits Wuhan quarantine". BBC News. 2021-01-28. Retrieved 2021-01-30.
- ^ "Medicamento cubano es usado en China contra el coronavirus". TVN (in Spanish). 8 March 2020. Archived from the original on 4 August 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
- ^ "Solicitan a la presidente que considere ingreso de medicina cubana" [They ask the president to consider admission of Cuban medicine.]. El Periódico (in Spanish). 19 March 2020. Archived from the original on 4 August 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
- ^ a b "El antiviral cubano Interferón Alfa 2B se usa en China para tratar a enfermos del nuevo coronavirus, pero no es ni una vacuna ni una cura" [The Cuban antiviral Interferon Alpha 2B is used in China to treat patients with the new coronavirus, but it is neither a vaccine nor a cure]. AFP Factual. 18 March 2020. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
- ^ "Coronavirus becomes a weapon of disinformation in Middle East battle for influence". Los Angeles Times. 8 April 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-12-29. Retrieved 2020-12-30.
- ^ "Twitter removes thousands of accounts over misinformation, alleged links to governments". The Globe and Mail. 2 April 2020. Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
- ^ Vasli K (27 February 2020). "Mart Helme: külmetushaigus on nüüd siis ümber ristitud koroonaviiruseks. Mingit hädaolukorda Eestis pole" [Mart Helme: The cold is now renamed the coronavirus. There is no emergency in Estonia] (video). Delfi. Archived from the original on 11 March 2020. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
- ^ a b Beech, Hannah (2020-02-02). "Quieter Response to Coronavirus in Countries Where China Holds Sway". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2021-01-30. Retrieved 2021-01-27.
- ^ Sihombing, Rolando Fransiscus. "Menkes: Kematian Gegara Flu Lebih Tinggi, Kenapa Heboh Corona Luar Biasa?". detiknews (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 2021-02-01. Retrieved 2021-01-27.
- ^ Post, The Jakarta. "Civil society coalition starts petition demanding dismissal of Health Minister Terawan". The Jakarta Post. Archived from the original on 2020-10-08. Retrieved 2021-01-27.
- ^ "Coronavirus: Iran's leader suggests US cooked up 'special version' of virus to target country". The Independent. 22 March 2020. Archived from the original on 24 March 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
- ^ "Iran's Khamanei refuses US help to fight coronavirus, citing conspiracy theory". France 24. 22 March 2020. Archived from the original on 14 April 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
- ^ "Bahrain accuses Iran of 'biological aggression' over COVID-2019". Al Jazeera. 12 March 2020. Archived from the original on 20 September 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
- ^ "Health Minister's 'warm water method' to kill coronavirus questioned | The Star". www.thestar.com.my. Archived from the original on 2020-12-05. Retrieved 2021-01-27.
- ^ a b "How mismanagement has fuelled Malaysia's coronavirus surge". South China Morning Post. 2021-01-26. Archived from the original on 2021-02-08. Retrieved 2021-01-27.
- ^ Contributor. "Health DG Appears To Disagree With Health Minister On Warm Water Claim | TRP". www.therakyatpost.com/. Archived from the original on 2021-02-07. Retrieved 2021-01-27.
- ^ "AMLO Goes off the Rails". Slate. 2 April 2020. Archived from the original on 31 December 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
- ^ "Coronavirus: nearly 200 North Korea soldiers 'die from outbreak government refuses to acknowledge'". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
- ^ Jang Seul Gi (2020-11-05). "Sources: N. Korea is hiding the real number of suspected COVID-19 cases". Daily NK. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
- ^ "The Kremlin And Disinformation about Coronavirus". EUvsDisinfo. 16 March 2020. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
- ^ "'Russophobic': Kremlin Denies Evidence of Russian COVID-19 Disinformation Campaign". polygraph.info. 19 March 2020. Archived from the original on 28 March 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
- ^ Galeotti, Mark (10 April 2020). "Coronavirus Propaganda a Problem for the Kremlin, Not a Ploy". The Moscow Times. Archived from the original on 13 May 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
- ^ "Coronavirus: How can you stop an 'infodemic'?". BBC News. Archived from the original on 3 April 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- ^ Seitz, Amanda (24 March 2020). "Lion not released on Russian streets to keep people home". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 25 April 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- ^ Dyer, Owen (December 31, 2020). "Covid-19: Russia admits to understating deaths by more than two thirds". BMJ. 371: m4975. doi:10.1136/bmj.m4975. PMID 33384283. Archived from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved January 29, 2021 – via www.bmj.com.
- ^ "Russian Covid deaths three times the official toll". December 29, 2020. Archived from the original on February 5, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ "Nemojte da lažete, niko nije rekao da je korona najsmešniji virus" [Don't lie, no one said that the corona is the funniest virus]. Istinomer (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 4 April 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ "Novinarka Ana Lalić puštena iz policije" [Journalist Ana Lalic released by police]. 2 April 2020. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
- ^ "EU: Hapšenje novinarke Ane Lalić veoma zabrinjavajuće". Archived from the original on 2020-08-01. Retrieved 2020-12-30.
- ^ "IPI i RSF osudili privođenje Ane Lalić" [IPI and RSF condemned the arrest of Ana Lalic]. 2 April 2020. Archived from the original on 17 August 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
- ^ "Kon: Odnos prema imanju/nemanju opreme pokazuje koliko smo bili nespremni" [Kon: The attitude towards owning / not having equipment shows how unprepared we were]. N1 Srbija (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 27 April 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
- ^ "Kon: "Bili smo nespremni, a svi su rekli da imaju opremu"" [Kon: "We were unprepared, and everyone said they had the equipment."]. NOVA portal. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
- ^ Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Srbija: posle ukidanja vanrednog stanja vrlo brzo izbori?" [Serbia: elections will be abolished very soon after the state of emergency is lifted?]. DW.COM (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 1 July 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
- ^ Serbia, RTS, Radio televizija Srbije, Radio Television of. "Intervju: Aleksandar Vučić, predsednik Republike Srbije" [Interview: Aleksandar Vučić, President of the Republic of Serbia]. www.rts.rs. Archived from the original on 2 July 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- ^ "Sindikat lekara: Vučić izneo niz neistina u intervjuu na RTS" [Doctors' union: Vučić told untruths in an interview on RTS]. N1 Srbija (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 5 July 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- ^ a b c d Bjorklund, Kelly; Ewing, Andrew (14 October 2020). "The Swedish COVID-19 Response Is a Disaster. It Shouldn't Be A Model for the Rest of the World". Time. Archived from the original on 2 January 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
- ^ Elliott, Josh K. (6 May 2020). "Tanzanian president blames lab after goat, papaya 'test positive' for coronavirus". Global News. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
- ^ "Turkmenistan Has Banned Use of the Word 'Coronavirus'". NPR. Archived from the original on 1 April 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- ^ "Turkmenistan Has Banned Use of the Word 'Coronavirus' : Coronavirus Live Updates". NPR. 31 March 2020. Archived from the original on 1 April 2020. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- ^ "Coronavirus off limits in Turkmenistan | Reports Without Borders". 31 March 2020. Archived from the original on 2 April 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
- ^ Kramer, Andrew E. (2 April 2020). "'The Fields Heal Everyone': Post-Soviet Leaders' Coronavirus Denial". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2 April 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- ^ Abdurasulov A (7 April 2020). "Why has this country reported no virus cases?". Archived from the original on 17 May 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020 – via bbc.com.
- ^ Post, Washington (23 January 2021). "In four years, President Trump made 30,573 false or misleading claims". The Washing Post. Archived from the original on 30 January 2021.
- ^ Carding2020-05-01T13:15:00+01:00, Nick. "Government counts mailouts to hit 100,000 testing target". Health Service Journal. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
- ^ Illman2020-05-11T17:06:00+01:00, James. "Hancock challenged over covid testing numbers by stats watchdog". Health Service Journal. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
- ^ "Sir David Norgrove response to Matt Hancock regarding the Government's COVID-19 testing data". UK Statistics Authority. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
- ^ editor, Sarah Boseley Health (2020-06-02). "Statistics watchdog: ministers still misleading public on coronavirus tests". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2021-02-24.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
- ^ Bruce, Andy (2020-06-02). "'Often mistrusted': stats watchdog criticises UK COVID-19 test data". Reuters. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
- ^ Stolberg, Sheryl Gay; Weiland, Noah (22 October 2020). "Study Finds 'Single Largest Driver' of Coronavirus Misinformation: Trump" – via NYTimes.com.(Study Archived February 14, 2021, at the Wayback Machine)
- ^ "US chief diplomat Pompeo backs coronavirus Wuhan lab claims | DW | 03.05.2020". DW.COM. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
- ^ Lopez, Linette. "Here's an idea why Secretary of State Pompeo keeps spreading the conspiracy theory that coronavirus escaped from a Chinese lab". Business Insider. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
- ^ Lozano, Daniel (28 February 2020). "Nicolás Maduro asegura que el coronavirus es un "arma de guerra biológica" contra China y los pueblos". El Mundo (España). Archived from the original on 14 June 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- ^ Fisher, Max (8 April 2020). "Why Coronavirus Conspiracy Theories Flourish. And Why It Matters". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 7 September 2020. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
- ^ "Según expertos, el "remedio" con saúco, jengibre, pimienta y miel que difundió el presidente de Venezuela no cura el COVID-19". AFP Factual. 25 March 2020. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- ^ "¿Quién es Sirio Quintero, el "científico" antivacunas que Maduro respaldó?". Efecto Cocuyo. 25 March 2020. Archived from the original on 29 July 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- ^ "Twitter elimina un mensaje de Maduro en el que señala que el coronavirus es "un arma bioterrorista"". ABC (periódico). 24 March 2020. Archived from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- ^ a b c "Bolsonaro y Maduro, dos líderes enfrentados unidos por la cloroquina". Agencia EFE. 22 May 2020. Archived from the original on 2 September 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- ^ "El antiviral cubano Interferón Alfa 2B se usa en China para tratar a enfermos del nuevo coronavirus, pero no es ni una vacuna ni una cura". AFP Factual. 18 March 2020. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- ^ "El Gobierno de Maduro llama 'armas biológicas' a venezolanos retornados y amenaza con recluirlos en cuarentena". El Comercio. Archived from the original on 20 August 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2020.