Tracing Origins Of The Ineffective Hot Water And Salt Ebola Cure Rumour As West Africa is agog with fear of the deadly Ebola hemorrhagic fever, multiple recipes of potential “folk remedies” have flooded the minds of Nigerians. Particularly, persistent suggestion that bathing in or drinking hot water and salt solution prevents and/or cures Ebola virus disease has been circulating widely among the public. Today, however, Information Minister Labaran Maku and Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu have both denied “healing” properties of the brine solution (a mix of large salt quantities and water), Premium Times and Daily Trust report, and warned Nigerians against believing such unfounded claims. The ministers advised us to observe “maximum environmental and personal hygiene to guard against contracting the deadly virus”. After receiving scores of messages from our readers who insisted on “spreading the news” of the newfound “cure,” Naij has tried to trace the origins of the aforementioned hearsay. This morning, a Nairaland forum user Adesewa posted a message confessing of and apologizing for “starting” the “hot-water-and-salt” Ebola cure rumour. “I am coming out clean because what started has a joke has escalated into the unprecedented,” Adesewa said and explained that yesterday (Thursday, August 7), a friend has suggested they “play a prank” on their friends by broadcasting a BBM message which said “the Ministry of Health has asked everyone to bathe with salt and warm water and drink some of it.” The news started spreading immediately, and Adesewa personally got a number of calls and messages persuading him to follow the mock advice. “All efforts to tell people that I was the one who started the joke failed. … Even my mum could me this morning, I did not know what to tell her. “Please don’t be harsh on me. I know this has gone out of hand. I never knew it would be this serious,” Adesewa begged. Although it is impossible to confirm or deny whether Adesewa was indeed the one to initiate the rumour, the story shows clearly how gullible people easily fall for a simple Internet lie. Luckily, some Nigerians have been trying to get through to others and convince them to be guided by common sense instead of blindly following questionable information. Muhammadu Buhari has, too, taken to his Facebook account urging his fellow Nigerians to “spread the message about the virus and create the necessary awareness among local populace”. He also reminded that “there is no any non-scientific or non-medical approach to dealing with the disease. Any such unconventional approach only increases the risk of infection and endangers public health safety”. Ebola is a virus and not a worm!” one Nairaland commenter said. “Drinking salt [water] will not and cannot prevent infection! Wash hands after every outing with soap and water! Avoid touching sick people with your bare hands, if possible use latex gloves for the very sick! Spread best practices, not fear!” “So someone woke my wife this morning urging her to bathe us all in salt water, and also rub salt ALL over ourselves to stave off the Ebola virus. Needless to say we have been arguing over this as she has already polished our son with table salt since the warning came from her mum. Why are some people just causing unnecessary panic and peddling same on social media? Today’s gonna be a loooong day.” Ebola broadcast for Nigerians only: Please bath with salt, sugar & maggi water. Add pepper for some flavour, it prevents Ebola & foolishness “80% nigerians have all taken their bath with salt before 4am.” “Please stop these rumours about Ebola entering Abuja, Kaduna, Jos and other states. People should stay calm and avoid large gathering especially those in Lagos and adhere to medical tips on how to avoid the disease.” “It’s the same case here in my school at Zamfara. You just have to see the pandemonium in hostels and in the town. Personally, I see no sense in bathing with salty warm water in order to prevent infection by a virus as deadly as the Ebola virus.” “I have received several calls and texts urging me to bath with salt and drink the water afterwards to prevent Ebola virus. I am not a medical personal or practianal, however, I am very certain that drinking salt or bathing with it can never prevent Ebola virus. Besides there’s no scientific research or orthodox evidence to prove that such method does prevent Ebola apart from the preventive measures we read on newspapers and hear on radio which include avoiding contact with the patients, and so on. Me I no dey bath with any salt. From Kolonut to Salt nawaoh!” You guys should just go work out. There’s lots of salt in your sweat. In essence, your body naturally cures Ebola. Thank you nature. — Térdoh (@Terdoh) August 8, 2014 Naij warns that too much salt in your diet can inhibit the proper absorption of nutrients, disrupt normal bodily functions and cause some dangerous health consequences (hypertension, abnormal heart development, osteoporosis, kidney disorders, dehydration, digestive diseases, electrolyte and hormone imbalance, among others).
Posted on: Fri, 08 Aug 2014 20:13:53 +0000
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