Language:

See all Disinfo Cases - Detail

Disinfo: There is no coronavirus pandemic, it’s fake

Summary

This “fake pandemic” is imposed on almost every country of the 193 UN member states. It is “fake,” because when a pandemic was announced, outside of China, a population of 6.4 billion people had only 150 cases of infection.

Disproof

Part of a wide and orchestrated disinformation campaign about the coronavirus. The coronavirus outbreak was labelled a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on the 11th of March 2020.

According to the World Health Organisation, as of 7th of April, there are more than 1,200,000 confirmed cases and there had been more than 72,000 deaths. The World Health Organisation has concluded that the virus first appeared in the Chinese province of Hubei. The novel coronavirus "2019-nCoV” comes from a family of viruses originating in animals that includes others such as SARS and MERS.

Go to search

publication/media

svpressa.ru (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 191
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 01/04/2020
  • Language/target audience: Russian
  • Country: US
  • Keywords: coronavirus, United Nations, WHO

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

see more

Coronavirus shows that Western solidarity is a myth

Coronavirus began to invade Europe from Italy, and Italy remained struggling with the disease alone for two consecutive weeks without hearing a European or American voice or seeing a hand extending to offer help or even sympathy. Some even felt Italy deserved this bacterial punishment because it embarked singlehandedly on a trade and economic relationship with China separately from the Western position. Behavior that assured that Western solidarity and unity of position is a myth.

April 02, 2020
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative aiming to discredit the EU response to the coronavirus pandemic, and exploit the suffering of Italy to feed pro-Kremlin anti-EU sentiments. The European Union is supporting the Member States in addressing the crisis, and mitigating the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.To cushion the blow to people’s livelihoods and the economy, the European Commission has adopted a comprehensive economic response to the outbreak, applied the full flexibility of the EU fiscal rules, has revised its State Aid rules and proposed to set up a EUR 37 billion Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative to provide liquidity to small businesses and the health care sector. To support scientific research into the COVID-19, the European Commission earmarked 47,5 million EUR for shortlisted research projects that can improve epidemiology and public health, including preparedness and response to outbreaks. The EU has also created first ever stockpile of medical equipment. Read more about the EU's response here and here. Likewise, the "lack of solidarity" claim is scotched by the actual response of individual EU members to the crisis. As of 28 March, multiple member states had provided or pledged crucial assistance to Italy including face masks (Germany, Austria, France, Czechia), mobile medical units (Greece), hospital beds (Austria, Germany), ventilators (Germany), and repatriation assistance.

American forces left Iraq as a response to the death of Soleimani

The Iraqi army continues to secure bases from the American forces in Iraq… keeping with the promises of the Iranian-Iraqi-Syrian axis that the response to the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani will be to break Washington’s fame in the region and strike its influence.

April 02, 2020
Disproof

Following an increase in attacks on their air bases in the country this year, the US-led coalition forces in Iraq have repositioned for two reasons: long-planned adjustments to the force to reflect success in the campaign against Daesh; and, short-term moves to protect the force during the Coronavirus pandemic. The “Operation Inherent Resolve” said that these measures were being taken in coordination with Iraq’s government.

To prevent potential spread of COVID-19, the Iraqi Security Forces have suspended all training. As a result, the Coalition will temporarily return some of its training-focused forces to their own countries in the coming days and weeks. The Coalition remains committed to the lasting defeat of ISIS through our partnership with the ISF, and as the situation permits, we will resume our support to Iraqi training. The Coalition will retain key military personnel on some Iraqi bases, to ensure the Government of Iraq and our interests are appropriately supported. We remain partnered and collaborate closely with Iraqi Security Forces at headquarters, for joint base security, tactical information sharing, and operations against Daesh.

See more disinformation cases on Daesh here.

US lack of help to Europe is a strategy to ensure its dominance over the continent

US leaving its European allies alone with the disastrous effects of the disease, may be a well-thought strategy. A destroyed Europe may bring many benefits to the US, as it happened after World War II with the Marshall Plan, which in practice served to take control over European countries devastated by the conflict.

April 01, 2020
Disproof

Conspiracy theory, with no evidence presented to support the claim based on a false premise. The US government actually pledged 100 million dollars in medical supplies to France, Italy and Spain, and several million dollars to other European nations outside the EU to confront the coronavirus crisis. Contrary to the claim, the Marshall Plan helped European economies to recover but was not a tool to take control of European countries, which remained sovereign and independent. This is a mix of several long-established Kremlin-led narratives, such as alleged US dominance over Europe and Washington supposedly playing with coronavirus in favour of its geopolitical interests. It can be framed as part of Russia’s disinformation campaign on coronavirus, well documented by both media and governments, some of whose elements were widely reported by Russian and international publications and by the European External Action Service. EUvsDisinfo database has a long set of Kremlin-linked disinformation cases on this subject, such as claims that Bill Gates and George Soros are sponsoring the Wuhan coronavirus, that it is a UK, US or NATO creation and Americans have its cure, that it is an artificial disease which specifically targets Chinese DNA, that it is a pretext to gain control of the world’s population, that it was created with economic goals while big pharma companies are spreading panic for their own profits, that it is a biological weapon against Russia and China, that it will wipe out Ukraine’s population in a few days or that it was predicted by Nostradamus and others.