ILOILO City – The deluge of misinformation about the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) acute respiratory disease has gripped the public in the past week amid fears of catching the virus.
This alarmed Mayor Jerry Treñas. He underscored the need to quell the scourge of fake text messages and social media posts about the disease that originated from Wuhan, China.
“We will make sure that with all the means available, authorities will dig deeper into this and cases will be filed for those who are responsible,” stressed Treñas.
He plans to enjoin the National Bureau of Investigation and Philippine National Police to investigate the reported spread of misinformation about the virus.
Treñas cited, for instance, the text and chain messages – that also made the rounds on Facebook – warning Ilonggos against shopping at Unitop General Merchandise, Inc.
“Please do not go to Unitop because one
of the owners has symptoms of nCoV,” part of the message, which was written in
Hiligaynon, said.
It further said the mayor has referred one of the owners of the establishment
for a check-up “because if not, the Unitop will be closed.”
Treñas slammed these circulating messages.
“That is fake news,” he said, adding that the alleged news also spread in Cagayan de Oro.
reñas mobilized the Iloilo City Health Office, with medical officer Dr. Roland Jay Fortuna, to investigate the matter.
The city’s health officials interviewed the management of Unitop on Saturday morning. The establishment assured them that the management has no history of recent travel to affected countries.
“We are warning the public not to immediately believe fake news. Otherwise, this will only lead to panic in our city and will affect us adversely. We are trying our best to keep our fellows in this city away from nCoV and its danger. We do not want this situation to escalate that the Ilonggos will panic,” Treñas said.
To show that the city is not tolerating purveyors of fake news, he said he will bring the matter to the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police for proper action.
“We are studying to have this investigated by the police because if not investigated, whoever has the capacity to post in their Facebook account without any responsibility for truth,” Treñas said. “We will make sure that with all the means available, the NBI and the police authority will dig deeper into this and cases will be filed for those who are responsible.”
Unitop, through its vice president for operation Albert Brito, assured in a letter dated Feb. 7 that the establishment is free of the virus.
“This is to reassure our loyal suki (customer) that the management and employees of Unitop Department Store are not infected with the 2019-novel coronavirus virus. Unitop is strictly implementing measures to make its store a safe place for its employees and loyal patrons,” it said.
The management is also “working with the authorities to track down and bring to justice the purveyors of the fake news,” it added.
Treñas assured that the government is coordinating all efforts from health departments and the business sector of this city to prevent the virus.
He also wrote letters to Cebu Pacific Air, Philippine Airlines and Air Asia that they “voluntarily cease your international flights to and from countries positive with the 2019 novel coronavirus immediately.”
Treñas did not mention the Singapore-Iloilo flights in his letter to the three airlines but in media interviews he pointed out such service.
He also expressed concern over the continued entry of international flights at the Kalibo International Airport, although those from China have been temporarily stopped.
From Wuhan City, China, the 2019-nCoV has now spread to more than 25 countries. There have been more than 28,000 cases worldwide but only two of the deaths have been outside mainland China (one in the Philippines and one in Hong Kong).
The fast-moving infection, which causes pneumonia-like symptoms, has been declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization./PN
