Below is a regularly-updated list of all our English-language fact-checks in Africa (last updated on April 28, 2022):

An online article claims that American special forces arrested top US infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci on April 9, 2022 on charges of treason, malpractice, conspiracy and homicide. This is false; the Pentagon called it a "total and utter fabrication," the health agency Fauci heads denied the claim, and the scientist has made public appearances after the date of the alleged arrest.

A TikTok video of a man smoking a cigarette in what appears to be a truck full of body bags has been viewed thousands of times in Facebook posts suggesting that deaths are being staged in the war in Ukraine. The claim is false; the clip shows the behind-the-scenes making of a music video for a song released by Russian rapper Husky in September 2020.

As Australian health authorities battled to control an unprecedented spread of the mosquito-borne Japanese encephalitis virus, social media posts claimed the potentially deadly virus was an adverse effect of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine. But the posts -- shared hundreds of times -- are false. Health experts told AFP there is no link between encephalitis -- an inflammation of the brain -- and the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The posts misrepresented a document that Pfizer submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

A video is circulating in multiple social media posts that claim it shows a top Australian health official "admitting" people vaccinated against Covid-19 are dying from myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle. This is false; the clip was taken from longer footage that shows Queensland chief health officer John Gerrard talking about myocarditis deaths in Covid-19 patients, not vaccinated people. Australia's drugs regulator said it had not recorded any myocarditis deaths caused by Covid-19 vaccines.

Facebook posts circulating in February 2022 claim a string of countries including Turkey, Brazil and Britain have scrapped "all quarantine procedures" and Covid-19 testing. The posts — shared hundreds of times on Facebook and Twitter — claim that ten countries have decided to treat the virus as though it is a "seasonal flu". The claims are misleading; many of the countries included in the list still have Covid-19 quarantine and testing procedures for incoming travellers, as of February 26, 2022.

Like elsewhere across the globe, misinformation about the novel coronavirus in Africa has spread quickly online as the pandemic progresses through different stages. AFP Fact Check has been debunking false claims around the continent since the start.

An image of a social media post that appears to be from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and urges people to shun unvaccinated family members is circulating online. But Trudeau's office says he did not post the message, and there is no trace of it on his official social media accounts.

A video showing dozens of trucks driving through a town and honking was shared thousands of times alongside claims it shows Italian truckers inspired by a convoy of Canadians who drove to Ottawa in 2022 to protest Covid-19 vaccine mandates. This is false; the video was taken in September 2021 during a city festival in the Piedmont region of Italy.

Facebook users shared a photo of a crowd hundreds of thousands strong, alongside a claim it showed a 2022 anti-vaccine mandate protest in Ottawa, Canada. This is false; the photo was taken during an anti-government protest in Moscow in 1991.

Social media posts claim radiation from 5G technology makes people sick with flu-like symptoms. But US health authorities and independent experts say there is no evidence that wireless communication systems are harmful to humans.

Posts shared on social media in South Africa and the United States claim that an old episode of The Simpsons TV show predicted the January 2022 Covid-19 trucker protest in Canada. But the claim is false: AFP Fact Check found that the video is an edit of two different episodes made to look like the show’s producers predicted the event.

As Australia started administering Covid-19 vaccines for children, multiple social media posts circulating in January claimed that "three [child] deaths" were recorded following vaccinations. The posts included a purported tweet from the chief health officer for the state of New South Wales. The claim is false. As of January 25, 2022, Australia's vaccine safety regulators have recorded no child deaths linked to vaccinations. The purported tweet was fabricated, according to the state health department.

Footage of a building in flames is circulating on social media across several countries. The clip accompanies posts claiming that the fire gutted a military barracks supposedly housing Covid-19 vaccines in Italy after mandatory vaccination was approved for security forces in the country. The claim is misleading: although Italy’s first Covid-19 vaccines were initially stored at the military camp in 2020, there were no doses in the building at the time of the accidental fire, according to a Carabinieri spokesperson.

Facebook posts with images of a political rally held by Kenya’s Deputy President William Ruto in his hometown of Eldoret on January 8, 2022, included an old and unrelated picture. The image of a huge crowd, which also circulated on Twitter, was captured in Tanzania by an AFP photographer in 2015 during a public gathering organised by the ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi.

Social media posts in late 2021 claim a 1999 video game named "Omikron" is linked to Bill Gates and Microsoft, the company he co-founded, suggesting that it foreshadowed the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. This is false; Microsoft says that neither it nor Gates -- a favored target of conspiracy theorists -- were involved in the game's development, and it is unrelated to the deadly pandemic that came two decades later.

A video has been shared repeatedly in multiple Facebook posts that claim it shows a protest against the German government's "medical tyranny" in December 2021. The claim circulated online after Germany imposed sweeping curbs on people not vaccinated against Covid-19. However, the claim is false: the video shows German farmers protesting in Berlin in November 2019 over new agricultural rules.

A video viewed hundreds of thousands of times online features researcher Robert Malone making a series of claims about mRNA Covid-19 shots causing harm to children. But experts say the claims are inaccurate, and a physician from a leading children's hospital called the video "dangerously and flagrantly incorrect."

Online articles claim there has been a huge surge in US pilot deaths, citing a memorial section in the Air Line Pilots Association union's magazine as evidence and linking it to Covid-19 vaccination. But the association says it reported more deaths before Covid-19 vaccines were widely available, and the US Federal Aviation Administration says it has carefully reviewed data about the safety of the shots and permits pilots to receive them.

Posts shared tens of thousands of times on Facebook and Twitter have questioned how the new Omicron coronavirus variant reached Australia if "the unvaccinated cannot leave or enter", implying that vaccines provide ineffective protection against the disease. The claim, however, is misleading: unvaccinated Australians are allowed to leave or enter the country under certain exemptions. Experts have consistently said that while Covid-19 vaccines reduce the chances of severe disease and death, vaccinated individuals can still transmit the virus.

Online articles and social media posts claim that Covid-19 shots compromise the immune systems of recipients, causing "vaccine acquired immune deficiency syndrome." This is false; medical experts -- one of them an author of a study cited in support of the claim -- say the vaccines do not have this effect.

Online articles shared on social media claim a document released by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revealed more than 1,200 deaths related to Pfizer-BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine in a 90-day period. But the pharmaceutical giant says the document does not indicate the fatalities are linked to vaccination, and it concludes the shots are safe -- a finding supported by US health authorities as well as clinical research.

A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in posts in early December that claim it shows the chief of BioNTech -- the company that developed a Covid-19 jab with Pfizer -- admitting he has not been vaccinated against the coronavirus. The posts circulated online as scientists tested the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine's efficacy against the Omicron coronavirus variant. But the video has been shared in a false context; it shows an interview with Ugur Sahin in late 2020 in which he said he would not jump the vaccination "priority" line. Sahin was vaccinated in early 2021, BioNTech told AFP.

A photo shared thousands of times around the world appears to show a billboard featuring New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern inviting Kiwis to get a "Christmas booster [jab]" in exchange for "up to six months' worth of freedoms". The claim circulated online shortly after New Zealand said it would not reopen to foreign travellers until at least the end of April 2022, as it slowly relaxes some of the world's toughest pandemic border restrictions. But the image has been digitally manipulated from an old election advert. The New Zealand Prime Minister’s office told AFP the image was a “fake”.

Posts shared on social media in the United States and South Africa claim that the World Economic Forum (WEF) made reference to the newly discovered Omicron variant in a report dated July 2021 – months before the latest mutation of the Covid-19 virus was announced. But this is false: the original WEF article cited on social media made no mention of Omicron, and it was only updated in November 2021 with details about the latest variant.

Social media posts and online articles claim European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for scrapping the Nuremberg Code and forcing people to receive a Covid-19 vaccination. But she made no mention of the Nuremberg Code when questioned about moves to require vaccination in some European countries, instead suggesting a "discussion" and "common approach" to implementing policies.

Social media posts claim a decision by Canada's Nova Scotia to equip public schools with defibrillators is linked to rare side effects of Covid-19 vaccines. But the provincial government said the move is unrelated to the pandemic, and a Canadian foundation said efforts to make the life-saving devices accessible in public buildings, including schools, have been ongoing for more than a decade.

Social media posts share a poster for a purported 1963 science-fiction movie called "The Omicron Variant" to suggest that the pandemic and the appearance of the latest coronavirus variant of concern was planned in advance. But the poster is a digital fabrication based on one for a 1974 film named "Phase IV."

Social media posts share a picture of a bus advertisement about paediatric stroke awareness in Canada and suggest it is related to Covid-19 vaccines. But the ad has nothing to do with the shots, and health authorities and independent experts say available data does not show a causal link between mRNA vaccines and strokes in children.

An online article said Myriam Bourla, wife of Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, died of complications arising from a Covid-19 vaccine. The claim is false, the pharmaceutical company and the hospital mentioned in the article told AFP, and Myriam Bourla attended a public event after the article erroneously announced her death.

An Instagram post claims children are 50 times more likely to die from Covid-19 shots than from the virus, citing a former Pfizer researcher. This is false; the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says it has not detected an unusual pattern of such deaths following Covid-19 vaccination, Pfizer says there have been no vaccine-related fatalities among children who received its shots, and a pediatrician described the risk of the disease as being far higher than that of the vaccine.

Multiple Facebook posts have shared a claim that Japan has stopped using vaccines against Covid-19 and prescribed antiparasitic drug ivermectin, ending the pandemic in the country “almost overnight”. But the claims are false; Japan are still administering Covid-19 vaccines. The Japanese authorities have not approved ivermectin as a treatment against Covid-19.

Facebook posts feature a photo of a sign at a vaccination stand that urges people to remember to donate their children's organs, suggesting that the shots will kill them. But the image has been manipulated; the original banner advertised vaccinations in English and Spanish, with no mention of organ donation.

A video has been shared repeatedly in Facebook posts that claim it shows 13 children who died because of the Covid-19 vaccination in South Africa. However, the claim is false: the video was in fact shot in Kenya in February 2020, months before South Africa rolled out the Covid-19 vaccination programme; The pupils died because of a stampede at their school.

Facebook posts claim the deadly crush at rapper Travis Scott's Astroworld Festival was caused by graphene oxide in Covid-19 vaccines that allowed concertgoers to be controlled. This is false; the substance is not an ingredient in any of the shots authorized in the United States, and authorities are still investigating events at the Houston, Texas, concert.

Multiple Facebook posts have shared an image of a US patent registration document alongside a claim that it shows Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine has been approved to be used for "remote contact tracing of all vaccinated humans worldwide". The claim is false. The registered patent is not intended for tracking vaccinated people and has no connection with Pfizer, the patent’s creators and the pharmaceuticals company told AFP.

Social media posts and online articles claim Italian authorities revised down the country's Covid-19 death toll from more than 130,000 to less than 4,000. This is false; the posts and articles misrepresented a report by Italy's leading health institute, which described the claim as "fake news."

Social media posts and an online article say pharmaceutical giant Pfizer added an ingredient used to stabilize heart attack victims to its Covid-19 vaccine for children, linking the move to reports of rare side effects from the shots. This is misleading; Pfizer's new formula containing tromethamine will be used for both children and adults, and the ingredient's purpose is to ease and prolong vaccine storage, the company and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) say.

An image has been shared repeatedly in social media posts around the world that purports to show a poster from an Irish health agency listing "vaccine side effects" that include "sudden death". The image is a hoax; the Irish health agency says it did not issue the poster.

A meme shared on Facebook claims that the former leaders of Haiti, Tanzania, Burundi, eSwatini and Ivory Coast were assassinated because they opposed Covid-19 vaccines. But the claim is false: there is no evidence to suggest that the five politicians, who died in the past 16 months, were killed for refusing vaccines.

A video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in multiple social media posts that claim it shows indigenous Australians defending themselves with bows and arrows against compulsory Covid-19 vaccinations. The claim is false: the video predates the pandemic. It shows indigenous groups in Brazil protesting in 2019 against a proposal to transfer indigenous health services from the federal government to municipalities. Covid-19 vaccination is only compulsory at a national level for certain key workers in Australia, as of October 27, 2021.

A video shared hundreds of times on Facebook in South Africa features two Australian women using a magnet to trap particles of black beach sand, which they claim is graphene that ends up in vaccines, food and other items. But these claims are false: experts have repeatedly said that none of the Covid-19 vaccines contains graphene. A geologist told AFP Fact Check that the dark beach particles occur naturally all over the world and are not graphene, which is a synthesised material.

During a meeting in Orange County, Florida, a retired chiropractor made several false claims about Covid-19 and vaccines. A three-minute video of his testimony has been shared widely on social media. In the video, Kevin Stillwagon repeats previously debunked myths about Covid-19. AFP Fact Check takes a look at them.

An article shared hundreds of times on social media claims that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned of an expected outbreak of a polio-like illness in 2021, with some social media users suggesting this is an attempt to cover up adverse reactions to vaccines. This is false: the CDC's alert was from 2020 and it has issued no such warning in 2021. Furthermore, there is no link between that illness and Covid-19 vaccination, the public health agency told AFP, while data shows that Covid-19 vaccines are overwhelmingly safe.

A graphic published on Facebook in South Africa claims that Covid-19 vaccine mandates do not apply to staff at various federal US agencies, pharmaceutical companies and the World Health Organization (WHO). This is partly false; six of the seven entities listed in the graphic have made it mandatory for employees to get vaccinated against Covid-19. Only the WHO has abstained.

An anti-vaccine protester makes a string of false allegations about Covid-19 in a video shared on Facebook in South Africa, including that vaccines have not been officially approved, children don’t die from the disease, and PCR tests are fraudulent. AFP Fact Check has investigated and debunked the claims.

A BitChute video featuring South African cardiothoracic specialist Dr Susan Vosloo sharing her views on Covid-19 and vaccines during an online meeting has circulated widely on social media. In the clip, Vosloo makes a string of false allegations about the disease and reiterates previously debunked myths about Covid-19 vaccines. AFP Fact Check looks at her various claims.

A video shared hundreds of times on Facebook claims to show people in France being dispersed by police during a protest against Covid-19 vaccines. But the claim is false: the clip shows students from the University of Nairobi in Kenya demonstrating against fee increases.

Articles and social media posts shared thousands of times claim that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not give full approval to the Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech. This is false; the agency signed off on the shot for Americans aged 16 and older on August 23, 2021.

A video viewed tens of thousands of times on social media claims that two children died from a Covid-19 vaccine in Australia's most populous city, Sydney. The claim is false: as of August 31, Australia has not recorded any deaths from the Pfizer-BioNTech jab, the only coronavirus vaccine that has been given to under-18s in the country.

Social media posts claim the US Food and Drug Administration approved the drug thalidomide, which caused serious birth defects in the 1950s and 1960s. But the regulatory agency did not do so at the time, procedures have been tightened in the last 60 years, and a recently approved Covid-19 vaccine was subject to clinical trials and independent review.

A claim has been shared widely on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube that the late Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi predicted the Covid-19 pandemic. The posts, which included an image of Kadhafi speaking at the United Nations in 2009, cite a comment he purportedly made: "They will create the viruses themselves and sell you the antidotes." The claim is misleading: the posts have misquoted Kadhafi 's 2009 speech.

Online articles and social media posts claim an order by the governor of the US state of Tennessee allows National Guard troops to "kidnap" people and take them to Covid-19 "internment camps." This is false; the order allows National Guard members to assist medical workers in a health care system strained by rising case numbers, but makes no mention of abductions, and the governor's office has said the claim is inaccurate.

Social media posts shared thousands of times claim that American wrestler and actor John Cena died on August 11, 2021 after being infected with Covid-19. The claim is false: Cena competed in WWE's Summer Slam 2021 on August 21. He has also been active on social media since the hoax reports circulated.

A video shared on Facebook in which an American doctor makes several claims about mRNA vaccines against Covid-19 has been viewed nearly 900 times in Ethiopia. But the doctor’s claims are false, experts told AFP Fact Check. The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines that use mRNA technology are considered safe, and millions of doses have been administered.

Three photos have been shared hundreds of times on Facebook in South Africa and Australia alongside a claim that they show Covid-19 related demonstrations in France and Greece. But the claim is misleading; while two of the images show Greeks protesting against their country’s Covid-19 vaccination programme, a third image, purportedly of a France anti-vaccination protest, was taken in 2018 during the “gilets jaunes” protests in France, before the pandemic.

A video has been shared across social media of Dr Daniel Stock, as he makes several false and misleading statements while giving testimony at a school board meeting in the US state of Indiana. He repeats previously debunked myths about Covid-19 vaccines, inaccurately claims that face masks are ineffective in slowing the spread of the virus, and touts unapproved treatments.

A chart purporting to show a schedule of pre-planned coronavirus variants has been shared thousands of times on social media as proof of a baseless conspiracy theory that the pandemic was staged. But viruses mutate unpredictably, several of the variants have already been detected ahead of the supposed timetable, and the groups whose logos appear in the posts -- including the World Health Organization -- told AFP that the image is not genuine.

Popular Nigerian pastor Chris Oyakhilome has claimed that the Covid-19 vaccine is gene therapy that alters people’s DNA. This is false; experts say the vaccine does not alter DNA. Oyakhilome is known for spreading misinformation about Covid-19 to his followers in Nigeria and across the world.

Social media posts shared thousands of times in August 2021 link to an Israeli newspaper article to claim that the head of Pfizer, which manufactures the most widely-used shot against Covid-19 in the US, is not fully vaccinated. But the article is dated before the pharmaceutical chief received his second jab, on March 10, 2021, and his company confirmed that he has received the full complement of shots.

A photo of English actor Tim Roth has been shared thousands of times on social media alongside a message criticizing the use of masks to curb the spread of Covid-19. But the actor's spokeswoman said the remark did not come from him, and he has publicly expressed support for masks.

Multiple posts on Facebook and WhatsApp in Nigeria claim that taking anti-inflammatory medication diclofenac or having “any anaesthesia” within two years of a Covid-19 vaccine leads to death. This is false; while experts discourage the use of analgesics before taking the vaccine, this is because the effect on the jab’s ability to create an immune response is unclear. There is no evidence to show that painkillers taken after the Covid-19 vaccine cause death.

An online article claims the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Covid-19 vaccines are "failing" and immunized people can be "super-spreaders" of the disease. This is false; the article misrepresents remarks by CDC director Rochelle Walensky, and the agency says she did not state that vaccinated people are more contagious.

Social media users have been sharing a notice purportedly issued by the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) outlining the application process for its Covid-19 social relief grant, which was recently reinstated. However, the post is a hoax; the agency distanced itself from the notice and cautioned individuals to not divulge personal information to unknown websites.

A Canadian physician claims in a video clip shared on social media that most people who receive widely-used Covid-19 vaccines will experience blood clots. But experts say his conclusion stems from an analysis that was not published in accordance with scientific method, was not peer-reviewed, and does not prove the shots are causing clots.

A screenshot of a package for the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca has been shared on Facebook in South Africa alongside a claim that a purported date stamp on the box shows it was manufactured in July 2018 – more than a year before the novel coronavirus was discovered. But the claim is false: the image of the packaging has been digitally altered to include a false date stamp.

Social media posts claim American health authorities are revoking authorization for widely used coronavirus tests because they are inaccurate. This is false; one US agency said it made no such announcement and the tests are the "gold standard" for Covid-19 diagnosis, while another said a requested change in authorization cited in some posts was not due to poor performance.

A video shared hundreds of times on Facebook in South Africa and Zambia claims that mRNA Covid-19 vaccines contain cells taken from aborted human foetuses. The claim is false: the World Health Organization and the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) in South Africa told AFP Fact Check that Covid-19 vaccines do not contain cells from aborted foetuses or other human tissue.

A screenshot of a tweet stating that the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has approved ivermectin for use to treat Covid-19 patients has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook. But the claim is false: SAHPRA has not approved ivermectin as a Covid-19 treatment and only permits its use as a topical cream to treat skin inflammation among adults. Furthermore, a doctor must apply to use ivermectin to treat skin conditions in humans.

A video claiming that Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni died after being admitted to a Kenyan hospital has been viewed thousands of times and shared in multiple Facebook posts. The claim is false; Museveni has made several public appearances since the rumours surfaced online and dismissed the rumours on camera.

Posts claiming Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni was airlifted to Germany after suddenly collapsing have been viewed thousands of times online. The rumour, which surfaced on June 27, 2021, is false. On the same day, Museveni delivered a speech during the opening of the World Health Summit at Uganda's Makerere University, which was broadcast live. AFP Fact Check has seen a recording of the address. In addition, the Ugandan leader also attended a virtual UN summit of African heads of state on July 1, 2021.

A video viewed thousands of times has been shared on Facebook with the claim that it shows Ugandan officials putting an empty coffin, intended for a Covid-19 victim, into the ground. The claim is false; part of the corpse’s head can be seen at one point in the blurry recording, while the dead man’s daughter confirmed to AFP Fact Check that her father’s body was in the coffin when he was buried.

A post on Instagram claims that French economist Jacques Attali discussed depopulating the planet by orchestrating a pandemic in his book “The Future of Life” published in 1981. This is false: while Attali was interviewed in a book called "Future Life" (first published in French as "L'Avenir de La Vie" in 1981), he did not write it, and he does not mention depopulation in his interview.

Multiple Facebook posts have shared a purported letter from a top British scientist detailing plans for a “permanent lockdown of the UK''. The posts are misleading: the scientist's employer, a British university, said the purported letter was "disinformation". The posts contained a link to the anonymous online forum 4Chan, which regularly promotes conspiracy theories. As of June 29, 2021 the UK government has signalled that it plans to further relax pandemic restrictions in England.

Social media users claim that British Airways pilots died from Covid-19 vaccines, which some who made the online allegations say the airline mandated, leading to talks with the UK government over whether pilots can fly after inoculation. While the company experienced the loss of several pilots, it denies any link between the deaths, does not insist on vaccination for those who fly their planes, and both a regulatory agency and the company denied being in “crisis talks.”

Social media users are sharing a radio interview in which a Canadian immunologist claims that widely used Covid-19 vaccines are dangerous. But a pharmaceutical company document and Harvard study presented by the professor as evidence have been misinterpreted, and experts said the jabs are working safely and effectively as intended.

Posts circulating in several African countries claim that French president Emmanuel Macron was slapped across the face for not respecting social distancing and other restrictions in place to reduce the spread of Covid-19. According to the social media posts, Damien Tarel, the man who slapped France’s leader, was given only a three-month prison sentence and a fine of 1,500 euros because Macron broke social distancing protocols. This is false. Although Tarel slapped the French president, it was not because Macron violated social distancing protocols, and Tarel’s lawyer did not present any such argument in court. Furthermore, the man was handed an 18-month prison sentence, 14 of which were suspended.

Social media posts shared around the world claim that Danish footballer Christian Eriksen collapsed mid-match due to a Covid-19 vaccine. The claim is false: the director of Eriksen’s club Inter Milan and the Danish Football Association said the player has not been vaccinated. The cause of his collapse is not known, as of June 16, 2021.

A post shared hundreds of times on Facebook in South Africa claims that schools in the country will be closed after politician Julius Malema won a court case forcing the government to shutter classrooms due to a surge in Covid-19 infections. But this is false: the South African education department refuted the claim that schools have been ordered shut, and a spokeswoman for Malema’s party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), said that neither he nor his party had filed any such lawsuit.

A claim has been shared in multiple Facebook posts since May 2021 that Sweden stopped using PCR tests for diagnosing Covid-19 as these tests are purportedly unable to detect contagiousness. The claim is false: Sweden continues to use PCR tests in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19 as of June 4, 2021. Swedish health authorities use clinical criteria -- not PCR tests -- to assess whether someone infected with the virus is still contagious.

Online articles claim the US military arrested former White House coronavirus response coordinator Deborah Birx for lying to the American public about the efficacy of face masks during the pandemic. This is false; the Department of Defense says it has no knowledge of Birx’s arrest, and that the military does not have the authority to detain her.

Multiple Facebook posts shared thousands of times claim that all schools in South Africa are closing this week. The claim is false: while a handful of schools were closed due to rising Covid-19 cases ahead of a looming third wave, the education department refuted the claims as false on May 25, 2021.

An article claims that US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data shows that Covid-19 shots have killed more people than all the other vaccines in the last 20 years combined. This is false; the data does not show the “death toll” from the vaccines as the article claims, and instead includes reported fatalities that occurred after inoculation, regardless of the cause.

A video shared hundreds of times on Facebook in South Africa claims that people in India are throwing away religious status because the deities supposedly failed to protect them from the Covid-19 surge sweeping the country. But the claim is false: the clip dates back to 2015 - four years before the pandemic erupted in December 2019. It shows a ritual during a Hindu festival dedicated to the Hindu god Ganesh.

Multiple Facebook posts have shared parts of a study by US-based scientists that analysed spike proteins of the novel coronavirus. The posts suggest the study is evidence that some Covid-19 vaccines could be harmful. The claim is misleading: both the research institute that published the study and independent experts told AFP that it did not show Covid-19 vaccines are harmful.

As violence escalated in Gaza in May 2021, multiple online posts shared a video that they claimed shows Palestinians staging a fake funeral in Gaza in a bid to gain world sympathy. The claim is false: the video has circulated online since March 2020 in unrelated posts about a Covid-19 lockdown stunt in Jordan.

A video clip has been shared thousands of times on Facebook along with a claim that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has refused to approve Covid-19 vaccines. This is false; the claim twists the testimony of a former FDA commissioner who assured the public of their safety. The agency has since granted “emergency use authorisation” for three Covid-19 vaccines and millions of Americans continue to be inoculated.

An infographic that carries the logo of the US Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention (CDC) warns refusing the coronavirus vaccine "is a form of racism" because it "harms people of color”. The graphic, however, has been manipulated: it was not issued by the CDC.

A graphic purporting to show that flu cases have fallen dramatically since 2020 has been shared by Facebook users worldwide alongside a claim it proves health authorities are falsely passing influenza cases off as Covid-19 cases. The graphic, however, has been shared in a misleading context: it compares confirmed positive flu tests in the United States for 2020-21 with estimated cases for 2019-20. Health experts told AFP that the decline in flu cases since 2020 was likely due to lockdowns, mask-wearing and better hand hygiene during the coronavirus pandemic.

A post shared on Facebook in South Africa claims that the US Supreme Court “overturned” mandatory vaccination following a lawsuit filed by attorney Robert F. Kennedy Jr. This is false; the precedent for mandatory vaccination dates back to a Supreme Court decision from 1905 and has not been challenged since. Furthermore, getting vaccinated against Covid-19 is currently not mandatory in the United States.

Several videos showing close-up shots of face masks have been shared online alongside a claim that the masks' black threads are “worms” or “parasites”. The claim is false, according to scientists who told AFP that the threads are harmless fibres.

Social media posts claim a Canadian lawyer won a case against “forced immunization” and the result now has the force of federal law. This is false; vaccination is not mandatory at the federal level in Canada, provinces that require proof of immunization for school attendance allow exemptions, and two vaccine-related cases in which the attorney is involved remain unresolved.

An image showing sick patients lying on the floor of a hospital hallway receiving intravenous (IV) treatment has been used in multiple Facebook posts alongside claims that the facility is located either in Uganda, Mali or Nigeria. In reality, AFP Fact Check found that the picture was taken inside the N'zerekore hospital in Guinea. A medical worker at the facility and a former AFP journalist, who covered an anti-ebola vaccine campaign at the hospital, both corroborated our findings.

Facebook, Instagram and TikTok posts circulating in April 2021 share a video they claim shows French police throwing their handcuffs to the ground to protest coronavirus lockdowns. The claim is false: the footage actually shows officers protesting a perceived lack of support from the government over police brutality complaints in June 2020.

Multiple Facebook posts have shared a claim that “not a single politician in the world” died of Covid-19 except John Magufuli, a former president of Tanzania known for downplaying the scale of the pandemic. The claim is misleading: at least eight serving and former politicians globally have died of Covid-19, according to an AFP tally. Tanzanian authorities said Magufuli died of a heart condition, while his opponents insisted he contracted the coronavirus before his death.

Two videos shared hundreds of times on Facebook feature a Kenyan doctor alleging that two drugs -- ivermectin on its own and hydroxychloroquine in combination with zinc and azithromycin -- are effective in treating Covid-19. But the claims are false: there is no scientific evidence that either medication can help treat the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

A Facebook account purporting to be run by Ugandan newspaper Daily Monitor is spreading the claim that the country’s Covid-19 task force is hiring more staff. This is false; the account is fake and not affiliated with the newspaper. Furthermore, AFP Fact Check confirmed with Uganda’s Ministry of Health that the job listings are a hoax.

Facebook posts shared more than 150,000 times claim that California theme park Disneyland banned screaming on its rides. This is false; a Walt Disney Company spokesperson said it does not have such a policy, and there is no mention of it on the park’s official website, which lists mask-wearing and other measures to help combat Covid-19 when it reopens.

A Facebook post in South Africa makes several claims about masks, including that they are ineffective in preventing the spread of Covid-19 in the general population and that they inhibit children’s social development. But these allegations are missing context: health experts say masks reduce virus transmission when worn properly. AFP Fact Check has previously debunked similar claims about masks affecting children’s psychological evolution.

Social media posts say that life insurance companies will not pay claims if a person dies within one year of receiving a vaccination against Covid-19. This is false, according to the organization that represents American life insurance firms and several US state regulators.

A photo has been shared on Facebook alongside a claim that it shows students in Uganda returning to class after a Covid-19 shutdown. This is false: the girls in the photograph, taken in Tanzania in 2018, were expelled from school for falling pregnant and are seen dropping off their children at a care centre.

An image has been shared in multiple Facebook posts that purportedly shows a headline in the February 16, 2021 edition of The Times that reads “Doctors and experts advise against taking experimental jab”. The posts circulated amid widespread mistrust and misinformation around Covid-19 vaccines. However, the image is a fabrication; The Times’s archive shows a different front page on February 16 and the newspaper published an article calling out the story as “fake”.

The Kenya Catholic Doctors Association recently issued a press statement discouraging people from getting Covid-19 vaccines, calling them “unnecessary” and “unsafe”. The press release, however, was wrong on a number of points, including claims that steam and hydroxychloroquine can treat Covid-19. The document also punted population control conspiracies; AFP Fact Check has previously debunked these and other claims. The World Health Organization (WHO) dismissed the statement and assured the public that the vaccines were safe.

A video titled “Canadian Doctors Speak Out,” which claims to offer the top reasons not to fear Covid-19, has been shared thousands of times on social media. But public health experts said it includes misleading claims about variants of the disease and immunity, and recommends treatments that have not been proven effective against the virus.

A video of British author David Icke talking about Covid-19 has been viewed millions of times since it was first published in April 2020, and recently picked up steam again on social media. The hour-long clip shared on Facebook is from a longer video, since removed from YouTube. In the clip, Icke, who is known for promoting conspiracy theories, presents himself as a researcher and claims that the Covid-19 pandemic was orchestrated by supernatural forces attempting to “dismantle” the world economic system and “control” the population using new technologies like 5G. But this popular conspiracy theory is based on false and misleading claims, as several experts told AFP Fact Check.

A picture has been shared widely on Facebook and Twitter in Singapore alongside a claim that it shows a Covid-19 vaccination certificate that contained a warning that the shots will prolong erections and increase penis size. The claim is false; the hospital denied the allegation and genuine vaccine recipients contain no mention of the warning.

A Facebook post claims that vaccine maker Johnson & Johnson has failed to update the public on why “volunteers” fell ill during the trials of its Covid-19 shot in 2020, an event that brought a temporary halt to clinical testing. This claim is misleading; only one trial participant reportedly fell sick, and while the illness remains unexplained, the company released a statement of its findings in October 2020 that ruled out the vaccine as a cause.

A post shared hundreds of times on social media in South Africa claims that inhaling steam from a tea made from guava leaves, eucalyptus and an artemisia variety known as mhlonyane will "kill" the virus that causes Covid-19. But this is false: the World Health Organization (WHO) does not recommend steam inhalation to treat or prevent Covid-19.

A clip of a woman convulsing on the ground has spread across social media worldwide in multiple languages alongside a claim that she is suffering from side effects after receiving a Covid-19 vaccine. But this claim is false: the video showed a patient suffering a seizure at the Larcade hospital near Buenos Aires in Argentina, and doctors there told AFP that the woman had not been vaccinated against Covid-19.

Social media posts have claimed that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa received a Covid-19 shot with a syringe that still had the needle covered by a cap. This is false; various images and videos taken from different angles show Ramaphosa was vaccinated with an exposed needle.

A Facebook post shared in South Africa alleges that the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines have “killed” hundreds of people in the United States, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But this claim is misleading; as of February 22, 2021, the US national public health institute said the reported deaths had “no link with vaccination”. The CDC considers both Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines “safe and effective”.

A website shared thousands of times on Facebook is inviting Nigerians to apply for financial help from a Covid-19 survival fund provided by the government of Africa’s most populous country. But AFP Fact Check found the site is a fraudulent version of the official state aid portal, which features the government’s web domain “gov.ng”.

Numerous posts on social media claim that an Indian company has sold South Africa “a less effective” Covid-19 vaccine nearing expiry and which the Swiss have since banned. The claims are misleading; the vaccines developed by AstraZeneca had already been ordered by South Africa’s government before a recent study by a local university questioned their efficacy against a new coronavirus variant, while Switzerland has only suspended approval of the drug pending the outcome of more research.

Multiple Facebook posts shared in February 2021 claim police have detained discredited US researcher Judy Mikovits for "discovering evidence that deadly retroviruses are transmitted through vaccines". This is false: Mikovits has not been arrested in 2021. She was arrested and briefly jailed in 2011 for unlawfully taking data from her former employer, court documents show. The charges against her were dropped in 2012, according to US media reports. A 2009 study she co-authored on retroviruses did not focus on vaccines and was retracted. There are no credible reports that Mikovits has been detained in 2021.

A now-deleted video shared on Facebook claimed that billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates had refused to inoculate his children, despite being an ardent supporter of vaccines. This is false: his wife Melinda Gates has previously confirmed that their three children have all been vaccinated. The couple's foundation also told AFP Fact that the kids were vaccinated.

Multiple Facebook posts shared hundreds of times in January 2021 claim the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued new advice against wearing face masks during the coronavirus pandemic. The posts contain a screenshot of an article that purports to report on a WHO press conference held on January 22, 2021. The claim is false: as of February 4, 2021, the WHO recommends that people should wear face masks during the pandemic, as well as adhering to social distancing guidelines and washing their hands regularly. The screenshot in the misleading posts shows an article published on January 25, 2021 that was later updated to include the WHO's latest advice, outlining how wearing face masks can provide some protection from the coronavirus for the general population.

A Facebook post claims that the second wave of Covid-19 in South Africa was caused by people wearing masks rather than the coronavirus pathogen itself. The post relies on a video that purports to simulate a carbon dioxide test, but experts dismissed the demonstration as inaccurate, reaffirming that masks are safe to wear and they remain one of several recommended preventative measures against the disease. The latest Covid-19 surge in the country was caused by a new variant of the coronavirus.

A video of a man crying in fear while a nurse attempts to give him an injection has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple Facebook, Twitter and YouTube posts alongside a claim that it shows Thailand's health minister receiving the Covid-19 vaccine. The claim is false: the video has circulated in reports since February 2018 about a nurse trying to give a man in China an injection. In the clip, the nurse and the man can be heard speaking Mandarin.

A video shared thousands of times on Facebook claims that a tonic made of onions, ginger, garlic, lemon and hot water can cure Covid-19. This is false; health professionals, including those at the World Health Organization (WHO), have repeatedly refuted these claims.

An extract from a TV interview with Pfizer's chief executive Albert Bourla is being shared online alongside the claim that the head of the pharmaceutical giant refused to take the Covid-19 vaccine manufactured by his company because “my type is not recommended”. This is misleading; Bourla only said he will not jump the queue to get the shot. He will wait until his age group is eligible; current government guidelines prioritize high-risk individuals and seniors.

A Facebook post claiming the anti-parasite drug ivermectin has been “officially recommended” by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to treat Covid-19 in the US has been shared more than 100 times in South Africa. The claim is false; the NIH confirmed to AFP Fact Check that there is not yet enough data to “recommend either for or against the use of ivermectin for the treatment of Covid-19” in the US. Furthermore, it is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that approves drugs in the US, not the NIH.

A screenshot of an article about the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine being administered in Germany has been shared repeatedly in multiple Facebook and Twitter posts that emphasise ten people died after receiving a vaccine dose. The posts present the vaccine drive in a misleading context: multiple medical experts have said the current evidence indicates the deaths were not directly linked to the vaccines. As of January 27, 2021, scientists say there is no evidence that links the deaths with Covid-19 vaccines.

A YouTube video shared hundreds of times has resurfaced with an old claim that two children in Guinea died after receiving a Covid-19 vaccine. This is false; the video was based on a news report about Guinean children who fell ill in March 2019 after taking anti-parasite drugs. AFP Fact Check previously debunked this claim in May 2020, months before any Covid-19 vaccine contenders had been approved.

Facebook posts inviting small business owners impacted by Covid-19 in Africa to apply for loans from the World Bank through the International Finance Corporation (IFC) have been shared hundreds of times. But the claim is false; the World Bank confirmed to AFP Fact Check that the posts emanated from fraudulent accounts linked to cybercrime attacks targeting the institution.

Social media posts and an online article link Atlanta baseball legend Hank Aaron’s death to his Moderna Covid-19 vaccination, with some posts seeking to raise fears among Black people about the safety of vaccines against the disease. But the vaccines have been tested for safety, and a medical examiner as well as Morehouse School of Medicine, where Aaron was vaccinated, said his death was unrelated to the immunization.

A Facebook post shared by a widely followed account in the name of a South African politician claims that pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca - whose Covid-19 vaccines are set to be rolled out in the country - is owned by a rich Chinese man. The claim is false; AstraZeneca is a listed British-Swedish company with its headquarters in England. The firm’s chief executive is French and its major shareholders are investment firms based in Western countries. The expected vaccines are also being manufactured in India, not China.

A video has been viewed thousands of times in Facebook, Twitter and YouTube posts that claim it shows a man explaining how retractable syringes are used to stage the Covid-19 vaccinations of world leaders. The claim is false: the footage of a retractable syringe has been taken from the TikTok account of a movie prop master. Two of the other clips used in the misleading video actually show public figures getting flu vaccines in 2019.

Multiple Facebook posts shared hundreds of times in Myanmar claim that doctors encourage injecting Covid-19 vaccines into the penis. The posts shared a screenshot of a purported report from US broadcaster CNN. The claim is false: the image in the posts has been fabricated and does not show a genuine CNN report. No credible studies suggest that Covid-19 vaccines should be injected into the penis. In response to the misleading posts, the chairman of Myanmar's National Immunization Technical Advisory Group told AFP that the claim was false.

Screenshots of two news reports have been shared repeatedly in multiple Facebook posts that claim they show a woman receiving a Covid-19 vaccine in the UK and South Africa. The posts suggest the image has been staged by the media to mislead the public about the coronavirus pandemic. The claim is false: the British woman pictured in the posts received a Covid-19 vaccine in England in December 2020, according to a Getty Images photo. The other screenshot in the posts shows a satirical article from a South African newspaper about a woman receiving the vaccine in the South African town of Ventersdorp that was “not meant to be interpreted literally", its editor-in-chief told AFP.

A screenshot circulating on social networks since at least April 2020 claims that Barack Obama has urged Africans to reject Covid-19 vaccines. This is false: AFP Fact Check found no official trace of any such statement by the former US president. In a recent tweet, Obama said in fact that getting vaccinated against Covid-19 was “one of the most important things” to do.

A video of an Austrian politician purporting to show that a glass of Coca-Cola tested positive for Covid-19 in a rapid antigen test has been viewed thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The posts suggest the video is evidence that the tests are unreliable at detecting Covid-19. The claim is misleading; experts told AFP the test carried out by the politician in the clip was not performed correctly. In response to the misleading claim, the manufacturer of the rapid antigen test said the same test actually returned a negative result for Coca-Cola when performed correctly.

An image has been shared hundreds of times in multiple Facebook and Twitter posts that claim it shows a television report about violence breaking out at a US hospital after patients were vaccinated against the novel coronavirus. The claim is false: the photo in the purported report has circulated online since February 2019 in reports about US gun violence, one year before the coronavirus pandemic. The image has been manipulated for comedic effect to include a false chyron and has been shared on joke websites.

Social media posts claim US Vice President Mike Pence faked receiving a Covid-19 vaccine using a syringe that had the needle covered by a cap. This is false; an image of Pence being vaccinated shows that the needle was exposed.

Social media posts claim US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and US Vice President Mike Pence pretended to receive Covid-19 vaccines using syringes that had caps over the needles. This is false; images of the two politicians being vaccinated show that the needles were uncovered when the shots were administered.

An image has been shared tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Twitter and Facebook alongside a claim it shows three of four clinical trial volunteers who have developed Bell's palsy after receiving doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine. The claim is misleading; this image has circulated online since at least January 2020, some three months before Pfizer-BioNTech began clinical trials of their vaccine in late April. While a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) document states that four participants developed Bell's palsy during the trials, investigators found "no clear basis upon which to conclude a causal relationship" between the vaccine and the condition.

A photo has been shared tens thousands of times on multiple posts on Facebook and Twitter, alongside a claim that it shows an old family photo of Turkish-German scientist Ugur Sahin, who developed a Covid-19 vaccine. The claim is false; this photo does not show Sahin nor his family.

As Britain became the first Western country to roll out a mass coronavirus vaccine campaign, articles surfaced claiming various high-profile figures like Bill Gates and Robert F Kennedy Jr had warned the jabs can change a person's DNA. This is false; while vaccines send genetic instructions to the body, these disappear quickly and do not alter your DNA.

Social media posts claiming that a Pfizer researcher found that the company’s Covid-19 vaccine will lead to infertility in women have been shared thousands of times. But independent medical experts and Pfizer said no sterilization was documented during clinical trials, and the researcher’s LinkedIn profile says he has not worked at the American pharmaceutical company since 2011.

Facebook posts of a doctor calling the Covid-19 pandemic a “hoax” in remarks to the Edmonton City Council have been shared thousands of times since November 13, 2020. Contrary to accepted medical advice, Roger Hodkinson falsely claimed masks and social distancing are useless, in remarks refuted by Canadian authorities and medical experts.

An article shared thousands of times on Facebook claimed that Microsoft founder Bill Gates said there will be 700,000 “victims” of death or disability from a Covid-19 vaccine. This claim is misleading; in an interview earlier this year, Gates said the side effects of a vaccine potentially could affect up to 700,000 people. But at no point did he say these side effects would be fatal or cause permanent damage.

Posts shared on Facebook claim that South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa told a G20 meeting that a Covid-19 vaccine would be mandatory and “everyone will have” it. This is false; Ramaphosa was actually asking leaders to ensure that all countries would have access to the new vaccines once they become available.

Widely-shared posts on Facebook claim that Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, is giving away money, food and other assistance to 10,000 youths who have lost loved ones to the Covid-19 pandemic. This is misleading; the Nigerian billionaire has committed hundreds of millions of naira to help Nigerians recover from the health and economic effects of Covid-19, but he is not running a giveaway on Facebook.

A video shared thousands of times on Facebook shows a panel of medical practicioners presenting various claims about Covid-19, with one denying that the pandemic exists and calling the virus “normal flu”. Experts have used scientific evidence repeatedly to dismiss both these claims – and others in the video – as false, as waves of new infections surge around the world.

Reports in Nigerian media claiming that the World Health Organization’s (WHO) director-general said he had tested positive for Covid-19 were shared in multiple social media posts in the country. However, it is not what Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus actually said, as the article itself goes on to explain: He tweeted that he was identified as a contact person of someone who had tested positive -- not that he had tested positive himself. The WHO also refuted the claim.

Posts based on a video by a German neurologist have been shared thousands of times on Facebook making several claims about the alleged dangers of wearing face masks, notably that rebreathing oxygen in the mask leads to neurological damage. According to experts, this is false, since these masks allow fresh air to pass through and oxygen to be inhaled.

A photo showing a doctor holding up a sign has been making rounds on social networks with claims he is urging Africans to refuse the Covid-19 vaccine. This is false; the image was doctored and the original photo shows a medic holding a sign asking people to stay home to prevent the spread of the virus. There is currently no Covid-19 vaccine.

Photos of alleged Covid-19 “vaccines” are being shared on social media with claims that the drugs are not for sale in the US, Canada, and the European Union because they are unsafe and still undergoing testing in developing countries. This is false: these products are not vaccines. They are generic forms of remdesivir, an anti-viral drug recommended for the treatment of Covid-19 and which is sold under a different name in developed markets.

A poster that makes multiple claims about the use and legality of face masks during the novel coronavirus pandemic has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook in South Africa. It comes after a high court ruled in June that the country’s lockdown laws were unconstitutional. But the regulations remain in place and masks are still mandatory in public pending the outcome of the government’s appeal, experts say. The poster also makes a series of other claims previously debunked by AFP Fact Check.

A video viewed thousands of times on Facebook claims that billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates admitted to making $200 billion from his charitable foundation’s investment in vaccines. The claim is misleading; the 26-second clip has been cut from a longer TV interview, where Gates estimated the global social and economic benefits from his foundation’s $10 billion investment. An official at the US think tank that calculated the $200 billion return on investment told AFP Fact Check that the claim was “an incorrect interpretation of the analysis”.

A video purporting to be from an Indian hospital alleges you can find out if you have COVID-19 by simply holding your breath. But the claim is false; the WHO and a pulmonologist told AFP Fact Check that the technique cannot diagnose the illness caused by the novel coronavirus. The Indian hospital mentioned in the post has also denied any link to the video.

Social media posts shared thousands of times since at least July 2020 claim that several high street shops have closed their stores, laid off staff or discontinued production due to the coronavirus pandemic. The claim is misleading; representatives for the high street shops listed told AFP there were inaccuracies in the posts.

Facebook posts shared in South Africa claim that some grades will be repeating the current school year in 2021. However, this is false; no such announcement has been made, and the school year calendar has in fact been amended by the education department in an attempt to recover the time lost due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Social media posts shared thousands of times and retweeted by President Donald Trump claim the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cut the national Covid-19 death toll by 94 percent, citing a CDC comorbidity chart. The claim is false; the head of the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) said nearly all died from Covid-19 but the disease usually causes additional conditions, which should also be recorded.

A video viewed thousands of times claims to show a Covid-19 patient in a Kenyan village who was “nearly buried alive” during his own funeral. The claim is false; county officials confirmed to AFP Fact Check that while the video was indeed taken during a burial ceremony, the man seen lying on the ground wearing protective gear had fainted and is a relative of the deceased.

A Facebook post shared thousands of times claims that taking a person’s temperature with an infrared thermometer near their head risks damaging the pineal gland, which is located in the brain. This is false, said neuroscience experts, who explained that this type of thermometer does not emit infrared radiation but captures wavelengths from the body.

A film titled “Plandemic: Indoctornation” promotes the idea that the coronavirus pandemic ravaging countries around the world is the result of an elaborate conspiracy. It makes multiple unfounded claims, including that the deadly virus was designed in a lab and global health leaders knew the crisis would occur, and also seeks to stoke fears about vaccines.

An article claiming that the Tanzanian government has kicked the World Health Organization (WHO) out of the country has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook. The claim is false; there is no evidence of any such directive and a WHO representative in Tanzania confirmed that the office is still operational.

Facebook posts claiming France and South Korea have approved the use of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of the novel coronavirus have surfaced online in Africa barely a month after Dr. Stella Immanuel, a Houston-based physician, claimed she had successfully treated more than 350 COVID-19 patients using the drug in combination. But these claims are misleading; authorities in both countries issued statements against the prescription of hydroxychloroquine on safety grounds months ago.

Shortly after President Vladimir Putin declared Russia the first country to approve a vaccine for the novel coronavirus, a photo began circulating in Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts that claimed it showed Putin’s daughter receiving the jab. The claim is misleading; the woman in the image has been identified by Russian state media as Natalia, a volunteer in the vaccine trial; the images in the misleading post correspond to video of the vaccine trial that has circulated online since June; Natalia’s features do not correspond to publicly available images of Putin’s two daughters.

Posts shared thousands of times on social media claim Legionnaires' disease, a serious type of pneumonia, can be contracted through reusable face masks, implying that it could be mistaken for COVID-19. This is false; experts say Legionnaires’ disease cannot be caught or spread via masks, and that it is not related to spikes in COVID-19.

A YouTube video featuring Harvard law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz has been viewed thousands of times in posts that claim it exposes a plan by American billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates to forcefully vaccinate and “depopulate Africans” amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. But this is false; Dershowitz was talking about the people of New York while answering questions about the constitutionality of mandatory vaccination under US law. He made no reference to Africans, Gates or depopulation.

The video of a widely shared news report on Facebook claims that the French government has officially sanctioned anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of the novel coronavirus. However, the claim is misleading: the video is old and predates France’s ban on hydroxychloroquine as a prescription drug for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

Multiple posts shared hundreds of times on Facebook and Twitter claim that four Ukrainian soldiers died after participating in American COVID-19 vaccine trials in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. The claim, published in several languages across different posts, was attributed to a police spokesperson in the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic. The claim is false; Ukraine military and Kharkiv medical officials said the posts were “fake news”.

A photo has been shared thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook and Twitter which claim it shows a protest against coronavirus restrictions in the German capital of Berlin in August 2020. The claim is false; the photo, which has circulated online since at least 2018, shows a street parade in Switzerland before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Multiple Facebook posts shared tens of thousands of times claim the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has infected far fewer people than the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, but “media hysteria” has prompted an overblown response. The claim is misleading; in April 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that COVID-19 is “10 times more deadly than swine flu”; health experts say COVID-19 has a higher death rate than swine flu, which could in turn put more pressure on healthcare systems.

A Facebook post shared thousands of times claims that Madagascar has found a herbal remedy that cures the novel coronavirus. To date, there is no evidence to prove that the controversial tonic produced in the island country has any impact on the virus.

A post shared more than a thousand times on Facebook claims that a corpse of a COVID-19 positive person is 100 times more “toxic” 72 hours after death -- and that because undertakers are not burying bodies within this prescribed period, funerals have become hotspots for further infections. The claim is false; according to experts, corpses do not get more infectious over time and the rise in infections after funerals is a result of mourners infecting one another.

A Facebook post that made an exaggerated claim in May 2020 about the global death toll from the novel coronavirus has been amplified across the world, especially on social media accounts posting religious content. The most recent versions of the post claim that more than 1.6 million people have died from COVID-19, but this is false; the real number of deaths counted is currently less than half of that.

A message shared on WhatsApp and Facebook claims that the World Health Organization (WHO) is advertising home-based jobs to "fight coronavirus” and says no experience is necessary. However, there is no such employment offer from the UN health agency, which has warned the public of similar scams.

Widely shared social media posts claim the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that positive COVID-19 results simply mean people have previously contracted a cold. In reality, the claim is a misinterpretation of a paragraph discussing antibody tests on the CDC's website. Health experts say ongoing COVID-19 infections are detected with viral tests, not an analysis of antibodies.

A viral video purports to show mourners ignoring social distancing rules at the funeral of Zindzi Mandela, the youngest daughter of South Africa's first black president and anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela. But the claim is false: police confirmed this clip and other similar videos showed footage of an unrelated funeral, which is being investigated for breaking coronavirus laws.

A Facebook post shared thousands of times advises people with COVID-19 symptoms in South Africa to refuse medical treatment because those who are hospitalised “usually die” and end up in one of the “million graves” allegedly dug by the government. It also recommends the use of traditional remedies instead of prescribed medication. AFP Fact Check explains why these claims are misleading.

An image of a shirtless man and woman sitting on a bed has been circulating on social media claiming to show a policeman who raped a novel coronavirus patient at a quarantine centre. Although an incident like this reportedly occurred in Kenya, the photo was published online long before the pandemic in articles alleging the pair were in an extramarital relationship.

A list of purported treatments for COVID-19 at its “different stages” has been shared hundreds of times in multiple Facebook posts. The posts recommend that people with breathing problems should use an oxygen cylinder and monitor their oxygen levels before going to a hospital. The claims, however, are false; health experts have said there is no scientific evidence to suggest the list of purported treatments are effective; they also advised people with breathing difficulties due to suspected COVID-19 to seek immediate medical help.

Images of an almost naked woman in a see-through protective gown in a hospital ward have been shared on Facebook alongside a claim that Russian nurses don't wear clothes in COVID-19 wards. Although the images are authentic, this was an isolated incident in Russia: the nurse, who was reprimanded, told the media she stripped down to her underwear because she was hot.

A post shared thousands of times on Facebook in Canada claims to provide advice about living with the threat of COVID-19 from British Columbia’s Provincial Health Officer Bonnie Henry. The remarks have been misattributed to Henry. Her office asked social media users to stop sharing the post and instead refer to the province's official guidance on the novel coronavirus.

A Facebook post shared thousands of times in Canada and the United States lists alleged risks associated with the use of face masks that are aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus, including decreased oxygen intake and increased “toxic inhalation.” But experts say the claims in the post, and others making similar assertions, are false.

Social media posts shared thousands of times claim a photo shows a 2015 visit by then-US president Barack Obama, infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci and philanthropist Melinda Gates to a laboratory in China’s Wuhan, which later became ground zero for the coronavirus pandemic. But the photo was actually taken the previous year at a lab in Maryland, and Gates does not appear in it.

A video showing Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli in a celebratory mood has been viewed more than 200,000 times on social media alongside claims that he was marking the country's eradication of COVID-19. The claim is false: an online search reveals that the clip was filmed in 2016, years before the novel coronavirus pandemic began.

Multiple posts shared on Facebook claim that the World Health Organization (WHO) has rescinded its advice which urges isolation for COVID-19 patients and social distancing in public. However, the claim is false and based on a video clip that has been taken out of context. WHO still recommends infected people be quarantined and social distancing maintained.

An illustration has been shared hundreds of times in multiple Facebook and Instagram posts which claim it shows that nasal swab tests for COVID-19 can harm the blood brain-barrier, a semipermeable membrane separating blood from other fluids in the brain. The claim is misleading; experts say COVID-19 swab tests are not placed near the blood-brain barrier and do not pose a risk to human health.

A Facebook post shared dozens of times claims to offer grants to business owners in Zambia to help them during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it comes from a fake account purporting to be Zambia’s ministry of commerce, which denied the claim and cautioned people to verify such offers. The same tactic appears to have been used in Botswana as well.

Online posts viewed thousands of times claim that a 14-minute audio message covering various conspiracy theories about COVID-19’s origin was voiced by Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo. The claim is false; the recording does not match Akufo-Addo’s voice while his information minister dismissed it as “obviously false”.

A purported image of children with limb deformities has been shared hundreds of times in multiple Facebook posts published in 2020 alongside a claim it shows the aftermath of vaccine trials on Africans. The claim is false; the photo, taken in 1998 in the West African country Sierra Leone, actually shows unvaccinated children who contracted polio.

Social media posts claiming to show images of Queen Elizabeth II wearing face masks matching her outfits during the novel coronavirus pandemic have been circulating in Africa. But the claim is false; the images were digitally altered by an Italian artist using stock pictures of the monarch taken long before the outbreak of the virus.

The image of an intubated baby with a large chest scar has been shared tens of thousands of times on Facebook, with claims that the infant had recently survived heart surgery before testing positive for the novel coronavirus. This is misleading: the pictured baby had heart surgery in 2012 and the now seven-year-old child does not have COVID-19, his parents say.

A widely shared video claims to show Brazilian lawmaker Filippe Poubel erupt in anger as he breaks into a field hospital that had claimed to have 5,000 novel coronavirus patients and finds it empty. In reality, the clip depicts the politician expressing his displeasure over a delay in opening a new COVID-19 hospital.

Multiple posts shared repeatedly on Facebook and Twitter claim COVID-19 means “see a sheep surrender” in Latin. The claim is false; Latin language experts dismissed the claim as “nonsense”; the World Health Organization (WHO) states COVID-19 refers to “coronavirus disease 2019”.

Articles shared thousands of times on Facebook and Twitter claim Rwandan President Paul Kagame censured the World Health Organization (WHO) for rejecting a herbal tonic touted by the Madagascan government as a cure for COVID-19. However, a presidential spokesperson dismissed the claim as “fake news”. No evidence was found to show Kagame made the comments. In fact, he has said his government is avoiding untested remedies.

A meme posted on Facebook claims South Africa’s president and ruling party politicians recently celebrated a high-profile birthday and flouted lockdown rules in the process. However, the images were taken in previous years. A secondary claim that COVID-19 is a bacteria -- and that this therefore would explain the lack of masks in the pictures -- has been refuted by experts.

Viral posts circulating in Africa claim Nobel Peace Prize winner Denis Mukwege resigned from the leadership of two COVID-19 task forces in DR Congo because he was told to manipulate patient numbers. The claim is false; Mukwege's resignation statement cited frustration at how the crisis was being managed, but nothing about fake patients. He has rejected the quotes attributed to him in the viral posts.

Facebook posts claiming to show vintage photographs taken during the Spanish flu pandemic more than 100 years ago have been shared thousands of times in Africa, Asia and the United States. While most of the images do depict life in various parts of the world during the pandemic, some are unrelated to the event and either were taken years earlier or later.

A meme shared thousands of times on Facebook claims people can suffer from reduced oxygen to their blood and brain, possibly leading to death, if they wear a disposable mask for too long. This is misleading; only a marginal decrease in oxygen saturation can sometimes be measured in people wearing a disposable mask, and several experts agree there is no evidence of long-term effects from breathing through a mask.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir and his first deputy Riek Machar recently became targets of tit-for-tat claims on Facebook alleging they had flown to foreign countries for COVID-19 treatment. For four days, rumours about the two men -- bitter rivals since the 2013 civil war -- flew thick and fast on social media. Allegations that they were abroad (and even dead in the case of Kiir) were finally put to bed with television appearances from their respective homes in the capital, Juba.

Facebook posts claim to show the front pages of three leading Kenyan newspapers reporting on scandals involving key political figures. But the images are doctored and the papers have dismissed the altered front pages on their official social media accounts. Editors at the three media organisations told AFP Fact Check the false claims were most likely politically motivated as the country’s ruling party grapples with internal tension. They are part of a trend in Kenya of manipulating media content for political mileage.

Facebook posts shared thousands of times claim the coronavirus pandemic is a cover for a Gates Foundation-funded effort to implant microchips when patients’ noses or throats are swabbed during COVID-19 testing. This is false; the pandemic is real, the foundation denied the claim, and experts say there is a medical reason for the way swabs are used when testing for the disease.

An article circulating on Facebook and Twitter claims that Nigerian schools will reopen on July 13, 2020, according to a government official. However, the claim is false; the author of the report admitted it was incorrect and Nigerian authorities have dismissed the claim.

Facebook posts circulating in Africa claim France has announced a ban on Africans travelling to Europe if they refuse “the European vaccine” for COVID-19. However, France’s foreign ministry rejected the claims and AFP Fact Check found no trace of such an announcement.

Facebook posts shared thousands of times feature a video of a man trying to haul a cash machine onto a bus, with captions claiming he is a “protester” or “looter” who stole the ATM. However, the footage has nothing to do with anti-racism protests currently sweeping the US, which have seen outbreaks of looting. The man in the video is a comedian pulling a prank in March 2019.

Facebook posts shared thousands of times accuse authorities of lining the streets with empty body bags in a bid to fool people about the “fake” novel coronavirus pandemic. But the claim is false: the photo was taken at a US protest against the government’s handling of the novel coronavirus crisis.

Facebook posts shared thousands of times claim that the novel coronavirus disease is caused by bacteria and can be cured with household painkillers. The posts also claim that Italian doctors found a cure for COVID-19. Both claims are false; Italy's health ministry told AFP Fact Check that the posts were “a hoax”. No cure has been found for the disease.

A message shared on WhatsApp and Facebook purportedly by a recovering COVID-19 patient in Britain makes several claims on ways people can prevent or treat the novel coronavirus. However, experts and health agencies have refuted most of the claims.

A Facebook post claiming that the Ugandan government is offering grants to local businesses in an effort to cushion its citizens against the effects of COVID-19 has been shared hundreds of times. The claim is false; the Facebook post appears on a page impersonating Uganda’s finance ministry. The ministry has flatly denied partnering with any organisation for purposes of offering grants to Ugandan entrepreneurs in the ongoing pandemic.

A viral video shared on multiple social media platforms shows a woman outside a US store making several misleading claims about the use of face masks including that they do not protect from COVID-19 and that their use makes you sick. Research backed by leading academic institutions and international health bodies recommends they be used along with other measures to help limit the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Facebook posts shared thousands of times claim that people in Lesotho are "immune" to COVID-19 because the country apparently created a remedy for the disease. The claim is false; a health ministry spokesman denied the southern African state had endorsed such a treatment while the head of the company that makes the tonic featured in the posts said it has not been tested to treat COVID-19.

An article shared more than 14,000 times on Facebook claims the Nigerian government gave N20,000 ($52) to “everyone” across the country’s 36 states. This is false; the article in question shares a true story but uses an unrelated and misleading headline. Nigeria has a social investment programme to help the poor and handed out cash and food during the lockdown, but not to all citizens.

Facebook posts shared thousands of times claim that 5G mobile phones will work off microchips secretly implanted under the skin by vaccination for COVID-19. However, the posts combine various conspiracy theorists previously debunked by AFP Fact Check and experts reject any link between 5G technology and microchips.

Facebook and Instagram posts shared thousands of times claim that vaccines directly violate the Nuremberg Code, a set of research ethics principles for human experimentation established after World War II. This claim is false; medical ethics and legal experts said the principles, named after the Nuremberg trials, are compatible with vaccination.

Facebook posts shared hundreds of times in South Africa claim that criminals posing as government officials are going around to people’s homes and distributing face masks that are laced with chemicals to knock them out and rob them. However, local police -- like their counterparts elsewhere in the world -- dismissed the claim as a myth.

A video of Italian politician Sara Cunial blasting Bill Gates as a “vaccine criminal” in speeches to parliament has been viewed tens of thousands of times on Facebook and YouTube. But her statements are riddled with misinformation. AFP Fact Check debunks some of the claims.

Facebook posts shared hundreds of times claim US President Donald Trump approved a $2.5 million fund for Madagascar to mass-produce a herbal remedy touted by the island’s president as a cure for COVID-19. The claim is false; there is no evidence Trump made any such statement, and while the United States did give Madagascar $2.5 million to tackle the outbreak, government information on the fund’s use does not include producing a remedy.

A Facebook post shared thousands of times claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Covid-Organics, a herbal drink touted by Madagascan President Andry Rajoelina as a cure for COVID-19. The post claims that Putin urged Africans “not to follow” the World Health Organization (WHO), which has warned against untested traditional medicine. However, AFP Fact Check found no official reports from the Kremlin of any order and the Madagascan presidency denied the claims.

Facebook posts shared hundreds of times claim that Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina called on African nations to leave the World Health Organization (WHO). Although the leader has criticised the agency for warning against a herbal remedy he recommends to treat COVID-19, AFP Fact Check found no public record of him making such a statement. The Madagascan presidency has also rejected the claim.

Multiple posts shared with a picture of a hand-cuffed Bill Gates being led away by FBI agents allege the US billionaire has been arrested for biological terrorism. This is false; the image is doctored and actually shows the 2015 arrest of New York mobster Vincent Asaro. The report was first published by a satirical website but was reproduced elsewhere as real news.

A post shared hundreds of times on Facebook claims that the Nigerian presidency imposed a curfew to allow Chinese companies to build 5G masts. This is false; the curfew is aimed at slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus. Authorities say 5G licences have not been issued to any firms in Nigeria -- Chinese or otherwise.

A video shared more than 10,000 times on Facebook features a freediving champion who claims that masks don't offer protection from the novel coronavirus and that the moisture created by breathing into a mask actually offers a fertile environment for the virus. However, experts told AFP that the video makes several misleading assumptions.

A video viewed thousands of times on Facebook posts claims to show Indians throwing statues of their gods into a river after they allegedly failed to protect them from the new coronavirus. The claim is false; the clip dates back to at least September 2015, years before the COVID-19 pandemic. It shows a ritual during the closure of a religious festival dedicated to the Hindu god Ganesh.

Articles in two Tanzanian newspapers claim that Madagascan President Andry Rajoelina has accused the World Health Organization (WHO) of offering a $20 million bribe to poison a herbal tea remedy he hails as a COVID-19 cure. However, there is no evidence Rajoelina made such comments and a spokesman for the Madagascan presidency flatly denied the claims.

Facebook posts shared thousands of times claim that French microbiologist Didier Raoult – who has promoted malaria drug hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 – has revealed that the disease was deliberately created by the US and China to kill Africans. However, there is no record of Raoult making such a statement and his office flatly rejected the claim. Scientists believe the virus emerged from a natural source.

False claims targeting billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates are gaining traction online since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, with experts warning they could hamper efforts to curb the virus.

Facebook posts shared hundreds of times in South Africa claim that wearing a face mask for a prolonged period can cause hypercapnia, a build-up of carbon dioxide in the blood. However, health experts told AFP Fact Check that a well-made mask is unlikely to cause the condition.

A YouTube video shared thousands of times claims that two children died from a novel coronavirus vaccine in Guinea. The claim is false; the video misrepresents a news report on children who fell ill in March 2019 after taking anti-parasite drugs. There is currently no vaccine for COVID-19.

Posts on Facebook claim that prolonged use of face masks causes hypoxia -- a lack of oxygen in the body. The claim, however, is false; as long as they are worn properly, the commonly used piece of personal protective equipment does not block the path of oxygen, experts say.

“Plandemic” -- a slickly-edited, 26-minute interview with a discredited researcher -- has been widely shared on social media. But the video, which YouTube and Facebook are working to remove for violating content standards, contains multiple false or misleading claims, including about the novel coronavirus, experts say.

Social media users have shared a photo that claims to show a “Center for Global Human Population Reduction” affiliated with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The image, however, has been manipulated. The stone signage it captures is the foundation’s Discovery Center in Seattle, which is not home to a depopulation effort, nor are the Microsoft co-founder and his wife behind any such initiative.

A video viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts claims to show a crowd surrounding, and attempting to touch, the remains of the Emir of Rano, a Nigerian traditional ruler who died on Saturday. However, authorities say the video is “fake” and that the emir was buried in a private ceremony.

A photo shared hundreds of times on Facebook claims to show the American cable news channel CNN describing cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria as “false”, accusing the government of making them up to embezzle public funds. This is false: The image, taken from a CNN interview of New York's mayor, has been doctored and the false headline added to it.

A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram alongside a claim it shows UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson offering cups of tea to journalists after recovering from an illness. The posts were shared shortly after Johnson returned to work following hospital treatment for COVID-19. The claim in the social media posts is false; this video has circulated in media reports since August 2018, more than one year before the coronavirus pandemic and before Johnson became prime minister.

The race to find a vaccine for the novel coronavirus faces an uphill struggle in Africa, where a flood of online misinformation is feeding on historical mistrust of Western medical research.

A video shared thousands of times on Facebook purports to show a farewell flypast in honour of South African Airways (SAA), the country’s bankrupt national carrier. The footage, however, was taken last year during a rehearsal in preparation for the presidential inauguration.

Graphics shared thousands of times on social media claim to show the exact probability of COVID-19 carriers spreading the disease if they or another person wears a mask. The claim is misleading; experts say that while masks do decrease the risk, there is no reliable information on the specific chance of transmission.

Multiple posts shared thousands of times on Facebook claim that the United States has found a cure for the novel coronavirus. This is false; the pictures being shared are of rapid test kits made in South Korea, while the hunt for a cure continues.

A video of a man rebuking foreigners has been viewed thousands of times on social media alongside a claim that the Guinean government has ordered the arrest of all Chinese nationals in the country while awaiting the safe return of Guineans from China. However, the video was actually recorded last year before the pandemic, and the Guinean government has not issued any such order.

Posts shared hundreds of times on WhatsApp and Facebook claim that hair salons are responsible for almost 50 percent of all coronavirus deaths. There is no evidence to support the claim, which has been ascribed to a non-existent US health chief.

Videos showing black people being attacked by Asian people have been shared thousands of times online in recent weeks. Although Africans living in China have reported discrimination linked to the coronavirus pandemic, AFP Fact Check found that various widely-shared clips were filmed years ago and have nothing to do with the virus.

An online report shared tens of thousands of times on Facebook and Twitter claims that one of Britain’s first volunteers to be injected with a trial coronavirus vaccine has died. However, the claim is false, originating from a website with a history of spreading misinformation. The volunteer, herself, has dismissed the report, which was also denied by UK health officials and the scientists behind the trial.

Multiple posts on Facebook, Twitter and on various websites have shared a purported quote about the novel coronavirus from Japanese physician Tasuku Honjo, the 2018 winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The posts, shared thousands of times, quote Dr Honjo as stating that the virus is “not natural” and was “manufactured in China”, as well as stating he previously worked at a laboratory in Chinese city of Wuhan for four years. The claim is misleading; Dr Honjo said he never made the purported comments, dismissing the posts as “misinformation”; his biography on the Kyoto University website shows he has never held a position at a laboratory in China.

A photograph circulating on Facebook purports to be a screenshot from a TV news report showing a crowded beach in South Africa during the lockdown. The claim is false; the image has been doctored and actually shows Australia’s Bondi beach in 2013.

A video with thousands of shares and more than 1.5 million views on Facebook claims to show FBI agents seizing masks infected with the novel coronavirus. The claim is false; the clip shows a raid on the home of a man in New York arrested for allegedly coughing on FBI agents while claiming to have COVID-19 and lying to them about hoarding and selling medical supplies.

A video featuring aerial shots of futuristic skyscrapers, giant bridges and other landmarks has been shared thousands of times on Facebook with claims that it shows Wuhan, the central Chinese city where the novel coronavirus pandemic emerged in December 2019. However, AFP found the video is a compilation of shots from various Chinese cities but not Wuhan.

A post shared on Facebook purports to show people looting a store in England. The claim is false; it actually shows looting that took place at a resort in Mexico in 2014 after Hurricane Odile ravaged Cabo San Lucas.

Social media posts shared in South Africa claim that children in grades 1 to 11 will be promoted after the school year was cancelled because of the novel coronavirus pandemic. The claims are false and started circulating after an education expert called for an end to the academic year, an idea rejected by the Department of Basic Education.

African countries including Nigeria are experiencing an increase in the number of fraudulent activities on social media as internet fraudsters embark on scamming sprees amid the coronavirus pandemic. AFP Fact Check has rounded up some of the most popular online claims fabricated to exploit unsuspecting internet users in the continent.

Multiple posts on social media in Nigeria claim that the United Kingdom terminated a deal with Chinese tech company Huawei after receiving contaminated coronavirus test kits. This is false; the UK has made no such move while the tainted test kits came from Luxembourg.

Articles claiming the World Bank has applauded Tanzania’s anti-coronavirus policies have been widely shared, with one attracting thousands of interactions on Facebook. The publications claim the East African country was singled out for praise in a report for implementing “unique policies” in the fight against the novel coronavirus. But the report does not include any such mention and the World Bank has denied specifically highlighting Tanzania’s COVID-19 response.

A post shared on Facebook and WhatsApp claims that China has sent COVID-19 vaccines to Burundi. The claim is false; China did donate medical supplies to the eastern African nation, but not vaccines, which do not exist yet for the disease.

A video of Nairobi governor Mike Sonko claiming the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends drinking alcohol to help prevent the new coronavirus is circulating online. The claim is false; the WHO has, in fact, warned the public against excessive alcohol consumption during the pandemic.

A photo shared thousands of times on Facebook claims to show the throat of a novel coronavirus patient. The claim is false; the image has circulated online since May of 2018, long before the COVID-19 pandemic.

A video that shows an argument between shoppers at an Australian department store has been viewed tens of thousands of times in Facebook and Twitter posts alongside a claim that Chinese nationals have been banned from supermarkets in Australia. The claim is false; major Australian supermarket chains told AFP there was no policy that bans Chinese people from their stores as of April 2020; the video in the misleading posts has circulated in media reports about a dispute in an Australian supermarket over baby formula.

A video shared thousands of times on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram purports to show hundreds of Nigerians scrambling for food amid a lockdown prompted by the novel coronavirus. However, the footage has been circulating on social media since at least March 2019, months before the start of the pandemic.

A widely shared picture purports to show food earmarked for distribution to families in Rwanda ahead of a coronavirus lockdown. This is false; the image has been circulating online since at least May 2019. Former World Bank chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was among those who fell for the hoax, sharing the photo with her 1.1 million Twitter followers.

Multiple posts with pictures of an aircraft delivering supplies claim to show the delivery of coronavirus vaccines from China to a Nigerian airport. This is false; the images were taken in Accra, Ghana, and show Chinese aid deliveries of medical supplies to 18 African countries -- including Nigeria.

After the African Union expressed concerns about discrimination against Africans in Guangzhou, a video started circulating on Facebook and Twitter that purports to show a Kenyan couple involved in a fist fight with a Chinese couple in Wuhan. This claim is false: The video was in fact filmed in the Bronx district of New York in front of an Asian restaurant.

A WhatsApp message circulating in South Sudan claims the chief justice’s son is critically ill with COVID-19. However, the health ministry said the senior official and his family tested negative for the disease, and his daughter told AFP he doesn’t have a son going by the name quoted in social media posts.

An article shared thousands of times in multiple social media posts in Nigeria claims former vice president Atiku Abubakar pledged to pay 10,000 naira ($27) to every Nigerian to help them through the novel coronavirus pandemic. The claim is false; Abubakar's spokesman rejected it as "fake news" and the story originated from a website with a history of spreading misinformation.

A claim that the novel coronavirus was never detected in the major Chinese cities of Beijing and Shanghai has been shared repeatedly on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The claim is false; both Beijing and Shanghai, China’s two most populous cities, have reported confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths since January 2020.

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts shared thousands of times show a video of crowds at a music event. Comments say the footage shows the “last gay conference” in Italy before the coronavirus outbreak. The clip is actually from a carnival in Brazil in February 2018, two years before Italy’s first confirmed COVID-19 case.

AFP has debunked multiple claims shared millions of times on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease in December 2019. But with over 65 billion messages sent worldwide every day, WhatsApp, one of the biggest platforms for sharing misinformation in Africa, remains a challenge. AFP fact checkers explain how you can spot false COVID-19 claims on WhatsApp.

Dozens of posts shared hundreds of times on Facebook and WhatsApp claim that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa told foreigners to leave the country to minimise the spread of the novel coronavirus. The claim is false; he has made no such announcement and the Department of Home Affairs refuted the claim.

A screenshot of a web publication has been shared hundreds of times in multiple posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram that claim the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control said it spent a billion naira ($2.78 million) on COVID-19 text message awareness campaign. However, this is false; the claim stemmed from a fabricated tweet, and was denied by Nigeria’s health authorities.

A photograph has been shared hundreds of times in Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts with claims that it shows Nigerian movie star Funke Akindele Bello picking up waste in the street as a punishment for throwing a party during the COVID-19 lockdown. The claim is false; the photo was first published online long before the pandemic and shows a waste management officer.

A video showing law enforcement officers beating civilians is being shared on Facebook and WhatsApp in Nigeria, with claims that it shows Nigerian soldiers beating citizens while enforcing the COVID-19 lockdown in the country. This is false; the video is old and shows police officers carrying out a beating in Ghana.

A post shared hundreds of times on Facebook claims that Didier Raoult, a French specialist in infectious diseases, is urging Africans “not to take Bill Gates vaccine” against coronavirus as it contains “poison”. This is false: the institute which Raoult directs denied he ever made these claims; moreover, no vaccine yet exists against coronavirus.

A video viewed thousands of times in Nigeria and shared in multiple Facebook posts claims to show police in Spain rounding up people aged 50 and above to transfer them to quarantine centers amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. The claim is false; the footage was circulating months before the outbreak and actually shows police in Azerbaijan detaining anti-government protesters in the capital Baku.

Video posts viewed thousands of times purport to show South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa announcing an alleged 81-day lockdown. But the video has been edited to change the context of an earlier speech he made during a national news broadcast. The TV channel which aired the original segment has refuted the doctored video and there have been no official announcements from the presidency to extend the ongoing 21-day lockdown set to end on April 16, 2020.

A photo of a young boy has been shared repeatedly on Facebook, Twitter and various websites alongside a claim that it shows a 13-year-old who died after contracting the novel coronavirus in the UK in 2020. The claim is false; the photograph has circulated in reports since 2017 about a teenager who died in Ireland.

Posts shared on Facebook and WhatsApp claim a South African hospital found that traces of the novel coronavirus had survived on the surface of fresh food items for 12 hours during lab tests. The claim is false and was dismissed by the hospital’s owners Netcare, which denies even having a laboratory at the facility in question.

Facebook posts shared thousands of times recommend various practices to prevent COVID-19, including gargling salt water, drinking tea and avoiding ice cream. Health experts told AFP there is no evidence to support these claims and say washing your hands regularly is the best way to stay healthy.

Numerous conspiracy theories shared on and off social media claim that 5G mobile networks are the cause of the novel coronavirus pandemic. This is false; experts told AFP that 5G is based on radio frequency and that this does not create viruses.

An image has been shared multiple times on Facebook in Liberia in support of a claim that pastors were beaten for defying government restrictions on religious gatherings amid the novel coronavirus outbreak. Although a police crackdown on churches took place, the use of the picture in this context is false as it was shot years ago at an unrelated event.

Two photos showing notes scattered on a street have been shared hundreds of times on Facebook and YouTube alongside a claim they were taken in Italy during the novel coronavirus pandemic. The posts claim Italians have thrown money out of their homes in a symbolic gesture to highlight that money is futile during the pandemic. The claim is false; the photos have circulated online since at least March 2019 in reports about two separate incidents in Venezuela.

A Sudanese Facebook post shared thousands of times claims to show a video of a newborn advising people to drink sugar-free tea to ward off the novel coronavirus. However, the video has been dubbed over with a fake voice and is at least four years old.

An image of a purported CNN broadcast shared thousands of times in multiple social media posts claims Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari and his chief of staff Abba Kyari tested positive for the novel coronavirus. But while Kyari has indeed tested positive for the virus, there is no evidence to support the claim that Buhari was infected with COVID-19. The picture of the alleged broadcast was fabricated using another screenshot of a CNN show.

Facebook posts shared thousands of times feature a video of US officials talking to reporters, with captions claiming they are announcing the arrest of a Chinese scientist who “created” the new coronavirus. However, the footage has nothing to do with COVID-19 and scientists have refuted allegations the virus was deliberately created.

Posts shared thousands of times on Facebook in Canada claim that Nigeria was free of the novel coronavirus as early as March 2020. This is false; data from the World Health Organization and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) show that new cases have been reported every week in Nigeria since February 27.

An article shared hundreds of times on Facebook claims that the Ethiopian government has approved a traditional medicine treatment for COVID-19 after successful clinical trials on animals and humans. However, the Ministry of Health denied the claims and Capital Ethiopia, which published the story, has corrected its Facebook post.

A notice shared on multiple social media platforms claims that South Africa’s president has prohibited landlords from collecting rent for three months in light of the novel coronavirus pandemic. However, the government has made no such announcement and has rejected the claim as false.

Facebook posts shared thousands of times recommend various practices to prevent COVID-19, including gargling salt water, drinking tea and avoiding ice cream. Health experts told AFP there is no evidence to support these claims and say washing your hands regularly is the best way to stay healthy.

A video has been viewed thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook which claim it shows bodies of novel coronavirus victims being thrown into a ditch in Italy. The claim is false; the footage was taken from the 2007 US television programme Pandemic.

A story shared hundreds of times in multiple social media posts in Nigeria claims the country announced a 30,000 naira ($83) relief payout for citizens to help them through the novel coronavirus pandemic. But the claim is false; the government denied making any announcement of the sort, while the author of the story admitted he got it wrong.

Multiple articles widely shared on Facebook claim that 59 church members died after drinking household disinfectant which their pastor said would prevent coronavirus infections. The claims, although based on an old story, are false -- South African police denied any current investigations on their part.

Multiple news reports circulating in Nigeria claim that Buckingham Palace has announced Britain’s Queen Elizabeth tested positive for COVID-19. Although the Queen’s eldest son was diagnosed with the disease, the Palace said the monarch herself is “in good health”.

A post shared repeatedly on WhatsApp and Facebook claims a Chinese doctor has discovered that drinking tea is effective in curing and relieving symptoms of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. The claim is false; health experts say there is insufficient scientific evidence to show that drinking tea is effective in preventing or curing COVID-19 infections; as of March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said there is no cure for COVID-19.

Multiple posts on social media claim that schools in South Africa will reopen months from now in September, as a result of the increase in COVID-19 cases. The claims are false; the Department of Basic Education has not made any such announcement and refuted the claims.

Footage purportedly showing a looting spree in Mexico prompted by panic over the novel coronavirus was aired on multiple Facebook live streams and viewed by tens of thousands of people during the week of March 23, 2020. Posts sharing the streams claimed that the chaotic scene was happening in real-time. The claim is false; the streams showed old footage from a 2017 looting incident in Mexico that was being played on a loop.

A photo has been shared thousands of times in multiple Facebook posts alongside the claim that it shows Italy’s prime minister crying over the toll of the novel coronavirus epidemic. The claim is false; the photo shows Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro getting emotional during a Thanksgiving speech.

Multiple videos seen tens of thousands of times on Facebook claim garlic and onions can prevent and cure infection from novel coronavirus. This is false; the World Health Organization says garlic cannot prevent or treat COVID-19.

A web publication shared hundreds of times on Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp in Nigeria claims the government will pay each citizen 8,500 naira ($23.60) monthly to encourage Nigerians to stay at home in a bid to slow down the spread of the novel coronavirus. But the claim is false; officials have dismissed the claim, and the author of the viral publication admitted it was incorrect.

Photographs shared hundreds of times online purport to show the coffins of Italian victims of the novel coronavirus pandemic. The claim is false; the pictures date back to October 2013 when hundreds drowned in a boat tragedy in the Mediterranean.

A photo of a room lined with coffins has been shared thousands of times in multiple Facebook posts that claim it shows Italian nationals killed during the novel coronavirus pandemic in 2020. The claim is false; the photo actually shows coffins for a group of dead migrants at an Italian airport in October 2013 after their boat sank off the coast of Italy.

A photo circulating on Facebook in Nigeria appears to show President Muhammadu Buhari shaking hands with the nation’s Code of Conduct Bureau Chairman Mohammed Isa while both men are wearing face masks — a seeming flouting of precautions during the novel coronavirus pandemic. This is not what happened. The image was doctored using an old photo, taken long before the pandemic.

A video shared thousands of times on Facebook claims to show police in Zimbabwe beating churchgoers because their place of worship refused to close to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The claims are false; the video was filmed before the virus outbreak. It shows opposition supporters being dispersed after gathering to hear their leader.

A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube alongside a claim it shows Chinese people converting to Islam because the novel coronavirus epidemic does not affect Muslims. The claim is false: the video shows people converting to Islam in Saudi Arabia in May 2019, more than half year away before the novel coronavirus outbreak began in Wuhan, China in late 2019.

A viral WhatsApp voice note in Nigeria claims that the coronavirus could kill up to 45 million Nigerians. This is misleading, as data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) shows. The message makes several other false claims, which we debunk here.

Posts circulating on social media claim that Ugandan and Kenyan authorities have instructed landlords to stop collecting rent due to the novel coronavirus. The claim is false; the countries have issued public guidance amid the pandemic, but there has been no official communication on rent payments and government officials dismissed the reports.

A video purporting to show panic-stricken travellers infected with the novel coronavirus at an airport in Senegal has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook. However, these images are actually taken from a security exercise simulating a hostage-taking at Dakar airport in November 2019.

A graphic has been shared thousands of times on Facebook which claims that gargling warm water with salt or vinegar can eliminate the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. The claim is false; international health authorities and experts do not list gargling as an effective remedy or prevention method for COVID-19.

A story that has been shared thousands of times in social media posts claims Ghana’s president and a senior minister had tested positive for COVID-19. But the claim is false; there is no evidence to support the allegation and Ghana’s information minister has dismissed it.

Facebook posts shared thousands of times claim US election years coincide with major disease outbreaks. These claims are misleading; several years of discovery or the associated spread of a disease do not match election years, national and international health organizations said.

An image shared thousands of times on Facebook purports to be evidence that Israel has developed a vaccine for the novel coronavirus. The claim is misleading; the image used to illustrate a vial of the new drug is originally a stock picture while the MIGAL Research Institute in Israel, despite having a head start, continues to work on a vaccine for COVID-19.

Facebook posts claim that the novel coronavirus is not a new disease, showing photos of vials of coronavirus vaccines for animals as evidence. This is false; coronaviruses affecting cattle or canines differ from the new virus strain affecting humans, for which no vaccine exists.

Graphics displaying Department of Health logos with the COVID-19 hotline number for South Africa have been shared thousands of times on social media. While the toll-free number is correct, the information that follows is false, according to health authorities.

An article claiming Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has postponed next year’s general election to 2023 because of the global coronavirus spread has been shared thousands of times in multiple Facebook posts. The claim is false; an electoral commission official labelled it “nonsensical”.

A claim that footballer Cristiano Ronaldo plans to turn his hotels in Portugal into hospitals for COVID-19 patients has been shared tens of thousands of times in multiple languages on various social media platforms. A spokesperson for the hotels said the claim was “inaccurate”; Ronaldo has also not mentioned any such plan on his social media platforms.

A notice widely shared on WhatsApp claims that all schools in South Africa would close on Monday, March 16, 2020. This is false: The last day of school was Wednesday, March 18, as announced by South Africa’s Department of Basic Education.

An article shared thousands of times on Facebook claims a family of three died from the new coronavirus at a hospital in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province. The claim is false; there have been no deaths from the novel coronavirus in South Africa as of March 12, 2020. When the misleading article was published, there were zero confirmed cases in the province; as of March 12, there was one.

A text shared thousands of times on Facebook in various countries claims that drinking warm water with lemon protects against the novel coronavirus. But experts told AFP there’s no proof this is effective in preventing the disease and that practising good hygiene is the best way to stay healthy. The posts also include several other false claims.

Facebook posts shared thousands of times claim that holding your breath for more than 10 seconds is an effective test for the novel coronavirus, and that drinking water regularly can prevent the disease. The claims are false; the World Health Organization and other experts said there was no evidence to support these claims.

An article shared thousands of times claims that a South African patient infected with COVID-19 was cured. This is misleading: there is currently no known cure for the disease and resultantly any infected patient’s return to health should be described as a recovery. Moreover, the patient in question has not yet been officially cleared.

Multiple posts on Facebook and Twitter shared hundreds of times claim that doctors in Japan advise people to drink water every 15 minutes in order to prevent being infected by the novel coronavirus, COVD-19. The claim is misleading; the World Health Organization (WHO) says drinking water does not prevent novel coronavirus infection; Japan has not issued a health advisory listing drinking water as a prevention method for COVID-19.

A WhatsApp voice message circulating in Nigeria claims that anti-malaria drug chloroquine phosphate is a cure for COVID-19. This is misleading: while a study found the molecule showed “apparent efficacy” in treating the disease, trials are still ongoing. Experts also warned against taking the drug without prescription. British officials have opened a probe into an illegal website selling the drug, following AFP's investigation.

A widely shared report on Facebook, Twitter and Reddit in February 2020 claims the Vatican disclosed that Pope Francis had been infected with the novel coronavirus. The claim is false; the Vatican said Pope Francis recently fell ill with a common cold; the site that published the misleading claim is not a reputable media organisation.

A series of screenshots from The Simpsons have been circulating online alongside claims that the TV show predicted the novel coronavirus outbreak. The claim is false; the montage features shots from two different episodes, one of which has been digitally altered to include the words “corona virus”.

US media reported the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued facial hair recommendations for novel coronavirus prevention, citing an infographic. This is misleading; the graphic about facial hair and respirator use is more than two years old and is unrelated to the recent deadly outbreak.

Multiple posts shared thousands of times on Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp claim a Nigerian cab driver contracted the coronavirus from an Italian passenger and went on the run, demanding N100 million ($275,000) from the government. This is false; the story originated from a parody account and has been denied by the man pictured in the claim and government officials. The actual driver has reportedly been quarantined.

Thousands of Facebook users have shared a picture of a man hooked up to a dialysis machine alongside claims that he is a Nigerian pastor who travelled to China to “destroy coronavirus” and was hospitalised. This is false; the man in the picture is a Nigerian actor who died due to renal failure in 2017.

A report in Nigeria claims that anti-malaria drug chloroquine has cured 12,552 novel coronavirus patients. This is misleading; the China National Center for Biotechnology Development confirmed the drug has “a certain curative effect on the novel coronavirus”, but did not say it cured 12,552 patients. The drug has only been used in clinical trials with “over 100 patients”.

Articles shared hundreds of times on Facebook claim that Zimbabwe has confirmed its first case of the novel coronavirus. The reports were misleading; no confirmed cases had been recorded as of February 20, 2020. A suspected patient was admitted to hospital but tested negative for the virus.

A video shared hundreds of times on social media purports to show people running from a Chinese man who collapsed in Mauritania. The claim is false; the footage was shared online months before the start of the epidemic.

An article shared in multiple posts on Facebook and Twitter claims Lagos has seen nine confirmed coronavirus cases, including four deaths. But the claim is false; health officials told AFP there were no confirmed deaths or cases in the country as of February 18, 2020. The story was fabricated from recent reports on a Lassa Fever outbreak in central Nigeria.

A photograph shared hundreds of times on social media purports to show a Sudanese minister wearing a surgical mask to protect himself during a meeting with a Chinese diplomat. However, the image has been Photoshopped.

Several posts alleging the novel coronavirus has been found in Ethiopia are circulating on Facebook. However, the claims are misleading; as of February 17, 2020, there were no confirmed cases in the country, and Ethiopia’s health authorities said that 17 suspected cases all tested negative.

Facebook posts shared thousands of times claim that a Cameroonian man living in China was cured of the novel coronavirus “because he has black skin”. Although a Cameroonian student was successfully treated for the illness, a doctor from a research centre specialised in the novel coronavirus told AFP there was “no scientific evidence” to suggest black people have a better chance of fighting the virus.

A claim that novel coronavirus has been discovered in chicken raised for meat in Mumbai, India has been shared hundreds of times in multiple Facebook and Twitter posts. The claim is false; the Indian government’s Poultry Development Organization told AFP it was “absolutely wrong” and there is “no evidence” that novel coronavirus has been detected in poultry.

An article claiming the Chinese government has sought Supreme Court approval to authorise the killing of more than 20,000 novel coronavirus patients in an effort to curb the growing epidemic has been shared hundreds of times in multiple posts on Facebook, Twitter and Reddit. The claim is false; the article was published on a site that has regularly produced hoax reports, and China has made no such announcement.

A video shared thousands of times in several languages purports to show coronavirus patients in China. The claim is false; the people in the footage are South African students taking part in a high-school initiation.

A video showing scores of bats nesting under tiles of a roof has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook that it shows the cause of the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak in China. The claim is false; the video has circulated online since at least July 2011 and actually shows repairs being made to the roof of a bat-infested house in the city of Miami in the United States.

A video has been viewed thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, shared alongside a claim that it showsChinese President Xi Jinping praying at a mosque following the novel coronavirus outbreak. The claim is false; this video has circulated since at least 2016 in media reports about his visit to a mosque in northwest China.

An image of a Dettol label that touts the disinfectant's ability to kill the coronavirus has been shared tens of thousands of times in multiple Facebook posts alongside a claim that the product’s maker may have been aware of the novel coronavirus before it broke out in China in December 2019. The claim is misleading; the cleaning product’s reference to “coronavirus” denotes its effectiveness in protecting people from a general group of viruses, including the common cold; Dettol’s manufacturer said it has not tested its products against the novel coronavirus.

Multiple posts shared hundreds of times on Facebook claim the novel coronavirus comes from the use of rhino horn. The claim is false because not only is the source of the crisis in China still unknown, but the dead tissue that rhino horn consists of also cannot sustain a virus, which needs living cells to replicate.

Facebook posts shared thousands of times in various countries claim that drinking water can prevent coronavirus. Many posts present the information as “health bulletins” from the officials in Canada or the Philippines. However, authorities have issued no such advice.

A photo of people lying down on the ground has been shared thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook alongside a claim it shows people who died from the new coronavirus in China. The claim is false; the image shows people participating in an art project in 2014 to remember the victims of the Nazi's Katzbach concentration camp in Frankfurt.

A story that has been shared in multiple posts on Facebook in Nigeria claims that more than 300,000 Chinese people have been infected with the novel coronavirus. The claim is misleading: Chinese health authorities have recorded just over 20,400 confirmed cases as of February 4, 2020, and experts say that there is currently no precise figure available for overall infections.

A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times in multiple posts on Facebook that claim it shows a market in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where a new coronavirus strain emerged. The claim is false; the video shows a market in Indonesia’s Sulawesi island.

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