The Rasam antidote for the Wuhan coronavirus, the Nipah virus and the SARS coronavirus, is being shared on social media.
We are debunking it today because it’s not only complete bullshit, sharing this hoax will put people’s lives in danger.
Instead of sharing their fake story, please slap them silly so they will wake the fuck up!
Rasam Antidote For Wuhan | Nipah | SARS Viruses : What Is It?
This particular hoax was written by a Norman Fernandez – likely a nom de guerre. Check out what he/she wrote :
RASAM – Antidote For Wuhan Virus ( and others)
By Norman Fernandez
Many years ago when Malaysia was struck by the Nipah virus, someone started spreading word around that, to keep safe from the virus, one should drink the Indian peppery soup -Rasam.
Next thing and overnight, the Chinese become aficionados of Rasam and Rasam becomes a must when eating at Indian restaurants. When inquired, one Chinese friend of mine asked me “ Have you heard of any Indian struck by SARS. There is something good and preventive in a Rasam”.
Suddenly, Rasam started appearing in the menu of some Chinese restaurants and was often pronounced as “Lasam “ ( pronouncing “R” has often been difficult for most Chinese). Oh the “ Chinese Lasam” was tweaked a little and tasted cross between the Indian Rasam and the Chinese Bak Kut Teh.
So, to the Chinese ( ie from China), for fcuk sake, stop eating all the “exotic” meats. Learn and realise that often, it’s from eating these meats that keep causing these type of deadly virus very frequently originating from China.
In the meantime and until some vaccines and antidotes is found to treat this Wuhan virus, keep safe by having and consuming “ Rasam” – Indian Rasam and not “Lasam”. By the way, cook the Rasam and have it done the Indian way – not by tweaking it with five spice powder or cooking it with herbs or roots.
( normanfernandez)
It may seem really silly, but people actually believe it and are sharing it to convince other people that they will be safe from the Wuhan coronavirus, if they just consume rasam.
Rasam Antidote For Wuhan | Nipah | SARS Viruses : Why It’s A Hoax
This debunking is for all those Google doctors who quip, “Check your facts before denying the truth!” when they are told that this is false.
To make it easier for these Google doctors to understand, let’s break down the lies in easy-to-digest bits.
Lie #1 : Drinking rasam will keep you safe from the Nipah virus
Obviously, there is no research into the effectiveness of rasam in preventing the Nipah virus, because there is simply no reasonable mechanism of action for rasam to protect against a viral infection.
But because rasam is very commonly consumed in India and Bangladesh, one would expect them to be virtually immune to the Nipah virus.
Yet, both India and Bangladesh were hit by the Nipah virus for many years :
- January 2001 : 66 cases, 49 deaths in Siliguri, India
- April 2001 : 13 cases, 9 deaths in Meherpur, Bangladesh
- January 2003 : 12 cases, 8 deaths in Naogaon, Bangladesh
- February 2004 : 22 cases, 17 deaths in Bangladesh
- April 2004 : 30 cases, 18 deaths in Bangladesh
- May 2018 : 15 cases, 13 deaths in Kerala, India
- July 2018 : 19 cases, 17 deaths in Kerala, India
- May 2019 : 1 case in Kerala, India
In fact, the Nipah virus is FAR MORE prevalent in India and Bangladesh, than Singapore and Malaysia, where it was first discovered but suffered only one outbreak in 1998/1999.
Lie #2 : No Indian has ever been struck by SARS (because Indians consume rasam)
About 19 Indian citizens were reported to be infected with SARS in 2003, with the first confirmed case in April 2003.
So that puts paid to the claim that no Indian citizen was ever struck by SARS. It is safe to say that all the rasam they consumed did not stop them from getting infected with SARS.
Recommended : Wuhan Coronavirus : Can Face Masks Help Protect Us?
Lie #3 : Eating wild meat is the reason for new deadly viruses
Ignoring for the moment that one man’s meat is another man’s poison, the trope that new viruses are created from the CONSUMPTION of wild meat has been debunked many times.
- Ebola was once thought to be caused by the eating of bat meat in Guinea, but has been traced to Child Zero, who was infected by fruit bat droppings.
- SARS was once thought to be caused by the consumption of civet cat meat, but has been traced to horseshoe bats from a remote cave in Yunnan.
- MERS was once thought to be caused by the consumption of camel meat, but has been confirmed to spread from live camels to humans through close contact.
- Some people claim that the Nipah virus was caused by the consumption of pork, but has been confirmed to originate from food or water contaminated by bats.
What can actually cause the emergence of viruses isn’t the fact that the Chinese are fond of eating exotic animals, but rather – their close proximity to these animals – that increases the risk of their diseases evolving to infect humans as well.
Lie #4 : Deadly viruses keep originating in China
Well, let’s take a look at the origins of new zoonotic diseases :
- Ebola : Yambuku, Congo
- SARS : Yunnan, China
- MERS : Saudi Arabia
- Nipah : Perak, Malaysia
Zoonotic viruses arise wherever there is close contact between animals and humans. It is not an exclusively Chinese problem.
Lie #5 : There is a Chinese version of rasam, called lasam
As a frequent purveyor of Chinese restaurants, I have never seen any offering rasam or lasam.
In fact, it would be IDIOTIC for any Chinese restaurant to offer lasam, because the word means dirty in the Hokkien dialect.
Lie #6 : Chinese swap the letter R with the letter L, because they cannot pronounce R
Never mind its blatantly racist overtones, it’s an illogical and stupid claim. Just because some people cannot pronounce the letter R properly, they won’t just swap it with the letter L.
Do this Norman Fernandez really believe that the Chinese will replace every instance of the letter R with the letter L?
Kentucky Fried Chicken = Kentucky Flied Chicken
Carl’s Jr = Carl’s Jl
Fried rice = Flied lice
Chinese Grand Prix = Chinese Gland Plix
Ren Zhengfei (HUAWEI CEO) = Len Zhengfei
Haier = Haiel
Peter Rabbit = Petel Labbit
That’s how stupid the claim is. SO STUPID.
Lie #7 : You can keep safe by consuming rasam
Rasam is basically just kokum or tamarind juice with spices. There is nothing in rasam that will protect you from viral infections of any kind, much less the new Wuhan coronavirus, the Nipah virus, or SARS.
The Wuhan coronavirus is so new, scientists cannot yet confirm the modes of transmission, much less develop a cure or vaccine.
Yet this unknown person – Norman Fernandez – knows enough to declare rasam an antidote for the Wuhan coronavirus?
Who is Norman Fernandez, and what is the basis for his claim? No one, and none at all. This is just another fake story on social media.
Recommended : Wuhan Coronavirus : Hand Sanitiser or Soap? Which Is Better?
If Not Rasam, How Do We Prevent Infection By The Wuhan Coronavirus?
Instead of believing a message on social media of unknown provenance and dubious accuracy, stick with advice from medical professionals.
Unlike this nobody Norman Fernandez, those doctors and scientists are putting their lives and reputations on the line in their bid to understand the Wuhan coronavirus, and find a way to beat it.
For now, the best way to protect yourselves from the Wuhan coronavirus would be to :
- STAY AWAY from anyone with symptoms like fever, dry cough, and breathing difficulties,
- maintain good hygiene by cleaning your hands with soap or a hand sanitiser
- wear a surgical mask or N95 respirator
- if you need to come in close contact with a patient, wear protective eyewear
Recommended : Wuhan Coronavirus : Protect With Surgical Mask + Eyewear!
Where To Buy Surgical Masks / Protective Glasses
if you need to buy surgical masks, please make sure they are proper 3-layer surgical masks, and not 2-ply face masks or fashion masks. Here are some online purchase options :
- Malaysia : Lazada | Shopee
- Singapore : Lazada | Shopee
- Australia
- United States
- United Kingdom
Recommended : Surgical Mask : How To CORRECTLY Wear + Remove!
If you really want a cheap, cool-looking protective glasses that cover both ocular orbits, this is what I’m using – the Honeywell A700 safety glasses.
Here are some online purchase options if you are interested to get the Honeywell A700 as well :
- Malaysia : RM 11-15.99 | RM 19.90
- Singapore : S$5.62 | S$8.80
- US : $6.61 | S$6.79 | $7.37 | $7.69 | $7.84 | $7.98
- UK : £2.09 | £7.49
- AU : A$12.03 | A$12.42 | A$21.39 | A$33.96
Recommended Reading
- Wuhan Coronavirus : Hand Sanitiser or Soap? Which Is Better?
- Surgical Mask : How To CORRECTLY Wear + Remove!
- Wuhan Coronavirus : Protect With Surgical Mask + Eyewear!
- Wang Guangfa : Wuhan Coronavirus Can Infect Through Eyes!
- Wuhan Coronavirus : Can Face Masks Help Protect Us?
- Can Face Masks Protect Us Against The Flu / Influenza?
- How To Wear A Surgical Mask – The Hoax & The Truth!
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