Fact Check: Will helicopters be used to spray disinfectants to eradicate Coronavirus?

Claim: Helicopters will be used to spray disinfectants to eradicate coronavirus

Rating: False

What is rumour about?

• Helicopters would be used to disinfectant various locations at night. So person should be on streets during this time.
• It is also being said that 5 helicopters would be used to spray disinfectants. Although location is t mentioned in viral social media post. 

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Who started rumour?

• Social media users
• On April 1, mess about helicopters being used to curb coronavirus pandemic spread on a social media platform called WeChat. 
• rumour was spread all over web; however, it did t mention which areas helicopters are deputed to disinfect. So, people from Richmond in America, Calgary in Canada, UK, Mexico, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Switzerland, and various or places were reported to have received maximum number of such messs. 

Im courtesy: Facebook

Im courtesy: Twitter

Im courtesy: Facebook

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Google Trends 

After an analysis of Google Trends with respect to helicopters used to spray disinfectants rumour, one can see that people have been hugely interested to kw wher helicopters are being deputed to disinfect areas. maximum number of searches have been done on March 29, 2020. 

Im courtesy: Google Trends 

maximum searches regarding rumour have been done in countries like Ireland, UK, Philippines, Canada, and n India. data are shown in percentile form. 

Im courtesy: Google Trends 

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Republic World did a fact check on "helicopters used to spray disinfectants" rumour

• Republic World did a fact check on "helicopters used to spray disinfectants" rumour and it is a completely false statement.
• officials from various parts of country have come forward and refuted all such claims in various countries. This news has been spreading throughout web ever since Coronavirus pandemic started. 
• New York officials refuted claims with regards to Brooklyn being sprayed with disinfectants. 
• Even Sri Lankan Government's Information Department refuted such claims via a public statement published on social media handles on March 24, 2020.

Im courtesy: Original Sinhala media release

•  Department of Health of  Philippines urged people to verify news from official social media handles of government authorities before spreading such messs.
• In UAE, NCEMA recently refuted such claims two weeks ago.

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