Facebook page suggests a bowl of garlic cures “Wuhans” coronavirus.
Health authorities have not recommended any particular drug for coronavirus. So, suggesting an alternative medical practice(s) such as eating a bowl of boiled garlic water is questionable.
Full Text
Amid the global alert on coronavirus (2019-nCoV), came a picture-text bearing an alleged cure for the deadly virus. The viral picture- trending across different social media platforms – suggests a bowl of “freshly” boiled garlic water cures ‘Wuhan’s coronavirus.
A similar message accompanying this video exists on YouTube. The claim is reminiscent salt-water bathe prescription birthed during the Ebola virus outbreak; we recall the resultant devastating repercussions. Subsequently, the Ewedu plant concoction, surfaced, also during the Ebola outbreak.
Verification
Garlic has shown potential benefits in treating symptoms in certain conditions. Some of these ailments include hip osteoarthritis, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, alcohol-induced liver injury etc. Garlic does possess allyl sulphur components which are anticarcinogenic. Still, these are potential benefits and not proven treatments.
Generally, health authorities class garlic products as food supplements and not medicines. The United States National Centre for Complementary and Integrated Health (NCCIH) further clarified things.
“The National Cancer Institute recognizes garlic as one of several vegetables with potential anticancer properties but does not recommend using garlic dietary supplements for cancer prevention”
National Cancer Institute
The US NCCIH goes further to note side effects of misuse; it ranges from breath and body odour to heartburn and stomach upset. Others include heartburn, burning sensation in your mouth or throat; nausea, vomiting, passing excessive gas and diarrhoea.
In corroborating this, another publication states that “garlic is thought to be possibly safe when taken for a short period… ” It also prescribed that consumers of garlic should get emergency medical help if they have any of the following allergies: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Treatment for Coronavirus patients
The World Health Organization suggests that there is no specific medicine to prevent or treat the new coronavirus, currently. The body advised that infected people be given appropriate care to relieve or treat symptoms; while those with severe illness should receive optimized supportive care.
It further advised against adopting the following measures; stating that they are not specifically recommended for the treatment of coronavirus and can be harmful:
- Taking vitamin C
- Smoking
- Drinking traditional herbal teas
- Wearing multiple masks to maximize protection
- Taking self-medication such as antibiotics
The WHO has also made it known that it is helping in coordinating efforts to develop medicines to treat the virus.
Unusual instances
CNN had reported on February 2nd that doctors in Thailand have treated a patient infected with the coronavirus. This begets the question, how do patients recover when there is no cure?
The answer was straightforward, albeit unclear.
The doctors said they treated the patient with a combination of antiviral drugs used in treating HIV and flu.
“I had treated a patient with a severe condition, and the result has been very satisfactory. The patient’s condition has improved very quickly within 48 hours. And the test result has also changed from being positive into negative within 48 hours as well”
Dr Kriangsak Atipornwanich
Furthermore, the report stated that hospitals in Beijing use HIV/AIDS drugs as part of treatment for the Wuhan coronavirus. Still, it remains unclear if they have been successful. Nonetheless, no mention of garlic as a cure was mentioned.
Conclusion
Health authorities have not recommended any particular drug for coronavirus. So, suggesting an alternative medical practice(s) such as eating a bowl of boiled garlic water is questionable.
Safety is the watchword with this global health emergency.
“If you want to protect yourself from getting infected with the new coronavirus, you should maintain basic hand and respiratory hygiene, and safe food practices, and avoiding close contact, when possible, with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing”
World Health Organisation
