Here Are 13 of the Biggest Myths Surrounding Coronavirus
Myths include that drugs and vaccines exist to treat the virus - they don't.
Hand dryers and UV lamps won't kill the coronavirus, the World Health Organization has said.
Debunking 10 of the biggest myths surrounding the outbreak, the board of top health officials also said eating garlic will not protect you.
While some bogus 'cures' aren't harmful, others are potentially dangerous, like drinking bleach or dousing the body with alcohol spray.
Rumours spread fast on social media, and authorities have tried clamping down on perpetrators.
It comes after a British expert warned that the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories could fuel more cases.
Professor Paul Hunter, of the University of East Anglia's (UEA) Norwich Medical School, said fake news leads to bad advice and people taking 'greater risks' during health crises.
Today the death toll hit 1,363. More than 64,000 cases have been diagnosed around the world.
The WHO revealed the following myths:
1. Hand dryers will not kill the coronavirus
Hand dryers alone cannot kill coronavirus bacteria.
Rumours have claimed using the hot air from the dryer for 30 seconds will rid any trace of the virus on your hands, China Daily report.
Above all, people should focus on keeping their hands clean.
'To protect yourself against the new coronavirus, you should frequently clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water,' the WHO said.
'Once your hands are cleaned, you should dry them thoroughly by using paper towels or a warm air dryer.'
2. Ultraviolet lamps cannot sterilise the skin
Ultraviolet lamps, which pump UV rays into the skin, will not sterilise the skin.
They could, however, cause skin irritation, the WHO warned.
Long term, UV radiation which also comes from the sun can damage the DNA in cells, which in turn may lead to cancer. It's for this reason that tanning beds are advised against.
Hospitals and laboratories often use ultraviolet UV light to kill microbes, but never use it around humans.
3. Eating garlic is not protective
Garlic is a healthy food that may have some antimicrobial properties, the WHO said.
However, there is no evidence from the current outbreak that eating garlic has protected people from the new coronavirus.
An online post went viral after claiming a bowl of boiled garlic water can cure the 2019 novel coronavirus.
Facebook has since blocked the post because 'the primary claims in the information are factually inaccurate.'
4. Sesame oil doesn't block coronavirus from entering the body
Sesame oil is a staple in Asian cooking. But that's about all it's good for.
Contrary to rife rumours, rubbing sesame oil onto the skin won't block coronavirus from entering the body.
The WHO said, 'No. Sesame oil does not kill the new coronavirus.'
This is because transmission is believed to occur when an infected person sneezes, and droplets land in a person's mouth or nose, or they inhale it from the air.
Close contact with someone infected also raises the risk. According to the Centre of Disease Control and Prevention, spread from person-to-person can happen from six feet apart.
5. Spraying alcohol or chlorine over your body will not get rid of the virus
Once COVID-19 is in your system, spraying substances like alcohol and chlorine on the skin will not be of any use.
It’s currently unclear if a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or eyes.
But generally, there are some powerful chemical disinfectants that can kill coronaviruses on surfaces, according to the WHO. These include bleach and chlorine-based disinfectants.
They should not to be used on the skin, as this can be dangerous. It is also not recommended to sniff it.
They could be harmful to mucous membranes - the tissue lining the mouth, eyes and organs.
The WHO said: 'Be aware that both alcohol and chlorine can be useful to disinfect surfaces, but they need to be used under appropriate recommendations.'
6. Thermal scanners won't always detect infected people
Thermal scanners are being used worldwide at airports and railway stations. They can detect people with a fever - a temperature higher than normal.
'However, they cannot detect people who are infected but are not yet sick with fever,' the WHO said.
It takes two to ten days before people who are infected become sick and develop a fever. In some people, it's taken 14 days.
Travellers may not be picked up by screening methods. It means they can unknowingly go on to transfer COVID-19 to other people without showing symptoms.
7. Letters or packages from China do not carry coronavirus
It is safe to receive packages from China, the WHO said. Analysis shows coronaviruses do not survive very long on objects - especially flying between countries.
As the world faced the early days of the outbreak, people questioned exactly how COVID-19 spreads and if it can arrive by mail.
There is nothing to suggest this is the case.
8. Pets can't get ill with coronavirus
COVID-19 is understood to have transferred to humans from an animal at a food market in Wuhan.
However, at present, there is no evidence that pets can be infected by coronavirus.
Chinese nationals have made make-shift face marks for their cats who fear their felines could catch the deadly virus.
And local media report cats and dogs have been thrown from apartment windows to their death in response to bogus claims that the animals carry COVID-19, according to The Sun.
Such measures are unnecessary, the WHO said.
The agency added: 'It is always a good idea to wash your hands with soap and water after contact with pets. This protects you against various common bacteria such as E.coli and Salmonella that can pass between pets and humans.'
9. Vaccines against pneumonia won't protect against COVID-19
Vaccines for COVID-19 are still in the making and are unlikely to be finished in time to curb the current outbreak.
Researchers across the world are racing to develop a drug with the WHO support.
The National Institutes of Health in the US, and Baylor University in Waco, Texas, say they are working on a vaccine based on what they know about coronaviruses in general, using information from the SARS outbreak.
But this may take a year or more to develop, according to Pharmaceutical Technology.
Infection specialist Professor Robin Shattock, of Imperial College London, revealed his team plan to begin trials of their experimental jab on animals soon.
Jabs for pneumonia - which can be caused by COVID-19 - will not work. These include pneumococcal vaccine and Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib) vaccine.
Hand dryers and UV lamps won't kill the coronavirus, the World Health Organization has said.
Debunking 10 of the biggest myths surrounding the outbreak, the board of top health officials also said eating garlic will not protect you.
While some bogus 'cures' aren't harmful, others are potentially dangerous, like drinking bleach or dousing the body with alcohol spray.
Rumours spread fast on social media, and authorities have tried clamping down on perpetrators.
It comes after a British expert warned that the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories could fuel more cases.
Professor Paul Hunter, of the University of East Anglia's (UEA) Norwich Medical School, said fake news leads to bad advice and people taking 'greater risks' during health crises.
Today the death toll hit 1,363. More than 64,000 cases have been diagnosed around the world.
The WHO revealed the following myths:
1. Hand dryers will not kill the coronavirus
Hand dryers alone cannot kill coronavirus bacteria.
Rumours have claimed using the hot air from the dryer for 30 seconds will rid any trace of the virus on your hands, China Daily report.
Above all, people should focus on keeping their hands clean.
'To protect yourself against the new coronavirus, you should frequently clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water,' the WHO said.
'Once your hands are cleaned, you should dry them thoroughly by using paper towels or a warm air dryer.'
2. Ultraviolet lamps cannot sterilise the skin
Ultraviolet lamps, which pump UV rays into the skin, will not sterilise the skin.
They could, however, cause skin irritation, the WHO warned.
Long term, UV radiation which also comes from the sun can damage the DNA in cells, which in turn may lead to cancer. It's for this reason that tanning beds are advised against.
Hospitals and laboratories often use ultraviolet UV light to kill microbes, but never use it around humans.
3. Eating garlic is not protective
Garlic is a healthy food that may have some antimicrobial properties, the WHO said.
However, there is no evidence from the current outbreak that eating garlic has protected people from the new coronavirus.
An online post went viral after claiming a bowl of boiled garlic water can cure the 2019 novel coronavirus.
Facebook has since blocked the post because 'the primary claims in the information are factually inaccurate.'
4. Sesame oil doesn't block coronavirus from entering the body
Sesame oil is a staple in Asian cooking. But that's about all it's good for.
Contrary to rife rumours, rubbing sesame oil onto the skin won't block coronavirus from entering the body.
The WHO said, 'No. Sesame oil does not kill the new coronavirus.'
This is because transmission is believed to occur when an infected person sneezes, and droplets land in a person's mouth or nose, or they inhale it from the air.
Close contact with someone infected also raises the risk. According to the Centre of Disease Control and Prevention, spread from person-to-person can happen from six feet apart.
5. Spraying alcohol or chlorine over your body will not get rid of the virus
Once COVID-19 is in your system, spraying substances like alcohol and chlorine on the skin will not be of any use.
It’s currently unclear if a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or eyes.
But generally, there are some powerful chemical disinfectants that can kill coronaviruses on surfaces, according to the WHO. These include bleach and chlorine-based disinfectants.
They should not to be used on the skin, as this can be dangerous. It is also not recommended to sniff it.
They could be harmful to mucous membranes - the tissue lining the mouth, eyes and organs.
The WHO said: 'Be aware that both alcohol and chlorine can be useful to disinfect surfaces, but they need to be used under appropriate recommendations.'
6. Thermal scanners won't always detect infected people
Thermal scanners are being used worldwide at airports and railway stations. They can detect people with a fever - a temperature higher than normal.
'However, they cannot detect people who are infected but are not yet sick with fever,' the WHO said.
It takes two to ten days before people who are infected become sick and develop a fever. In some people, it's taken 14 days.
Travellers may not be picked up by screening methods. It means they can unknowingly go on to transfer COVID-19 to other people without showing symptoms.
7. Letters or packages from China do not carry coronavirus
It is safe to receive packages from China, the WHO said. Analysis shows coronaviruses do not survive very long on objects - especially flying between countries.
As the world faced the early days of the outbreak, people questioned exactly how COVID-19 spreads and if it can arrive by mail.
There is nothing to suggest this is the case.
8. Pets can't get ill with coronavirus
COVID-19 is understood to have transferred to humans from an animal at a food market in Wuhan.
However, at present, there is no evidence that pets can be infected by coronavirus.
Chinese nationals have made make-shift face marks for their cats who fear their felines could catch the deadly virus.
And local media report cats and dogs have been thrown from apartment windows to their death in response to bogus claims that the animals carry COVID-19, according to The Sun.
Such measures are unnecessary, the WHO said.
The agency added: 'It is always a good idea to wash your hands with soap and water after contact with pets. This protects you against various common bacteria such as E.coli and Salmonella that can pass between pets and humans.'
9. Vaccines against pneumonia won't protect against COVID-19
Vaccines for COVID-19 are still in the making and are unlikely to be finished in time to curb the current outbreak.
Researchers across the world are racing to develop a drug with the WHO support.
The National Institutes of Health in the US, and Baylor University in Waco, Texas, say they are working on a vaccine based on what they know about coronaviruses in general, using information from the SARS outbreak.
But this may take a year or more to develop, according to Pharmaceutical Technology.
Infection specialist Professor Robin Shattock, of Imperial College London, revealed his team plan to begin trials of their experimental jab on animals soon.
Jabs for pneumonia - which can be caused by COVID-19 - will not work. These include pneumococcal vaccine and Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib) vaccine.