By Martin Sadongdong
There is no truth to the information being spread online that military helicopters will spray pesticide across the country as a measure to fight the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the Philippine Air Force (PAF) disclosed Saturday night.
Philippine Air Force (MANILA BULLETIN)
Social media posts made rounds saying that "special military helicopters" will spray pesticides "in the skies all over the country" beginning at 12 midnight to supposedly "kill" the virus.
However, Major Aristedes Galang, Air Force public affairs office chief, disproved the rumors and appealed to the public not to entertain the fake information.
"There are no military aircraft that will be deployed for such activities," Galang said.
"We urge the public to stay updated from reliable sources and avoid spreading fake news," he added.
Relatedly, the Department of Health said that pesticides work against pests and not viruses, including the COVID-19.
It said the "best" way to prevent the transmission of the virus is to wash the hands regularly, cover your mouth when coughing and sneezing, and practice social distancing.
"Properly informed citizens are effective against COVID-19," the Health department noted.
As of early Sunday, the DOH said there were already 380 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the death toll rising to 25 and the recovered cases at 15.