With every new and unique phenomenon that hits a population, there’s bound to be many rumors and fake news, especially when the nation lives in crises, and citizens are unable to trust the government.
People should stay aware of this fact at such critical times, and be careful not to prompt to believe everything they hear.
This is a sensitive period, not only in Lebanon but all over the world. It is unfortunate that some sources or people could take advantage of a life-threatening virus like the Coronavirus to incite fear.
This is what just happened when rumors spread of a new case being registered inside the Casino du Liban.
The person who spread the rumor attributed the story to Al-Mayadeen as the source, although it is not available on any of the official websites of the media channel.
Al-Mayadeen stressed that the news did not come from them. Therefore, both the casino and the channel affirm that the news is fabricated.
The fake news declared that “a new Corona case has been registered at the Casino du Liban and the Lebanese Red Cross is working on transmitting the critical condition to Rafic el Hariri’s hospital.”
In response, the casino issued a statement, saying: “The Casino du Liban administration regrets that some of those affected by the resilience of this vital facility, despite the deteriorating economic conditions, have arrived at spreading malicious rumors by broadcasting false news impersonating Al Mayadeen.”
The statement continues: “This behavior is neither patriotic nor moral, and seeks to exploit the Coronavirus to harm businesses. The Casino du Liban management denies this news in its entirety and detail.”
Noting that the appearance of Coronavirus in Lebanon never exceeded the one confirmed case, in which the patient is reportedly showing symptoms of improvement.
We have a dedicated coronavirus section where you can find the latest news/updates about the pandemic in Lebanon, inform yourself with WHO-verified resources, and track the number of cases in Lebanon in real-time. Click here.
