WebQoof Recap: Of COVID-19 Vaccination & Sonia Gandhi’s Edited Pic

Here’s a round-up of all that misled the public this week.

Fact checks about Sonia Gandhi’s ‘conversion’ book, Mamata Banerjee’s ‘Islamic’ hospital and more.

(Image: Erum Gour/The Quint)

From an altered image showing a book on ‘conversion’ on Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s bookshelf to false claims about “an ambulance driver” being beaten for disrupting the oxygen supply of patients, here’s what misled the public this week.

1. Book on ‘Conversion’ on Sonia Gandhi’s Shelf? It’s an Edited Pic

A widely circulated photo of Congress President Sonia Gandhi claims that she has a book titled “How to convert India into Christian nation” on her bookshelf. One can also see the Holy Bible and a statue of Jesus Christ in the photograph.

(Image: Facebook/Screenshot/Altered by The Quint)

However, we found that the photo has been altered. The book’s title has been edited to add the text to the book’s spine.

The original video, from which the screengrab was taken, was from her address to the people of Bihar on 27 October 2020, a day before the state went for the first phase of polls, and has none of the components as claimed.

You can read the full story here.

2. Religious Bias in Kolkata’s Islamia Hospital? Viral Claim is False

A viral claim on social media states that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has opened Islamia Hospital in Kolkata that is admitting only Muslim patients and only Muslim doctors can work at the facility.

The viral claim reads: “Mamata opened an Islamic hospital in Kolkata, Bengal only for Muslims. All doctors are Muslims. Is it going towards Islamic state? (sic)”

(Image: Facebook/Screenshot/Altered by The Quint)

However, we found that the hospital has been in existence since 1926 and it was closed down five years ago for renovation. It was reopened on 30 May.

Moreover, anybody, irrespective of their religion, can go to the hospital for treatment, the organisation handling the appointment of Islamia Hospital’s doctors told The Quint’s WebQoof team. Further, doctors from different communities work at the hospital.

You can read the full report here.

3. No, Black Mold Found in Household Appliances Isn’t ‘Black Fungus’

A viral claim on social media is doing the rounds that the black-coloured fungus that accumulates or settles on household items is black fungus, or mucormycosis. It further claims that if people don't allow the black fungus to settle on food items, refrigerators etc, then mucormycosis cannot harm them.

(Image: Facebook/Screenshot/Altered by The Quint)

The claim is misleading. The black mold or fungus found in household appliances is not the same black fungus that is claiming lives.

Pulmonologist Dr Vikas Maurya speaking about the viral claim told The Quint, “Fungus is naturally present in our environment. Bacteria and fungi are attracted to food items. But there are many additional factors responsible for mucormycosis infection in the body. Like low immunity and high blood sugar. There have also been cases where high doses of steroids or antibiotics have led to mucormycosis. It is harmful to have mold and fungus in our food or around us, but fungus isn’t the only reason for mucormycosis.”

Read the full story here.

4. No, This Video Doesn’t Show Nurse Wasting Vaccines in Aligarh

A widely circulated video claims to show an Auxilliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) in Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh throwing away COVID vaccine-filled injections after inserting the needle in a patient's arm but not discharging the vaccine.

The video was shared by Hindi news channel Zee Hindustan.

(Image: Facebook/Screenshot/Altered by The Quint)

We found that the incident was reported from a Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Aligarh, but the video being shared with the claim was actually from Ecuador, where a similar incident occurred in late April earlier in 2021.

You can read our full report here.

5. Ambulance Driver Thrashed For ‘Killing’ Patients? Claim is False

A viral video where a man is being thrashed by cops inside a hospital is doing the rounds on the internet with a claim that he is an ambulance driver who had allegedly turned off the oxygen cylinder supply line in a Telangana hospital.

The claim further reads that he had done this since “no one had died in the past two-three days and the ambulance ‘wasn’t getting any business’.”

(Image: Facebook/Screenshot/Altered by The Quint)

However, we found that the incident is not from Telangana as claimed but had occurred at Deepak Hospital in Jalna, Maharashtra and showed BJP Yuva Morcha General Secretary Shivraj Nariyalwale being beaten up by cops as he was a part of a group that reportedly created ruckus after their patient passed away.

Vinayak Deshmukh, superintendent of police, Jalna, told us that prima facie, one cop has been found to be at fault and he has been suspended.

Read the full report here.

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