A few days ago, reports revealed that the World Health Organization (WHO) said that the banknotes could be the hosts to spread the Novel Coronavirus or COVID-19. But on Friday, March 6 the authority stated that "We were misrepresented."
A WHO spokesperson, Fadela Chaib said the organization did not claim that cash was transmitting coronavirus.
What did WHO say?
It should be mentioned that Chabi, who talked to the MarketWatch via email, clarified that a widely cited article in the UK media claimed that WHO said banknotes may be spreading the new coronavirus and the customers "should wash their hands after touching banknotes because infectious Covid-19 may cling to the surface for a number of days."
The report said WHO had suggested people use contactless payments instead. But while explaining WHO's actual comment Chabi said, the organization did not say that banknotes would spread COVID-19 and WHO did not issue any warning for such matter. She also told the news outlet that "We were asked if we thought banknotes could transmit COVID-19 and we said you should wash your hands after handling money, especially if handling or eating food."
The spokesperson also shared some preventive measures to combat the COVID-19. Her suggestions include cleaning hands with an alcohol-based hand rub, cleaning surfaces on a regular basis, gather knowledge about the Novel Coronavirus, avoid travelling if you are not feeling well and if you develop shortness of breath, call your doctor and seek care immediately.
The scenario of Novel Coronavirus outbreak
As per the recent data, there are more than 106,000 people who are affected by the COVID-19. The disease, which emerged in China in December 2019 has already killed over 3,500 people in all around the world, with the majority in China. While more than 59,000 patients have recovered, the death cases are emerging every day.
Recent reports revealed that two more people succumbed to the novel coronavirus in Washington state as per the officials, while the number of confirmed cases in New York rose to 89.
The new Coronavirus has affected all the continents in the world, apart from Antarctica. Recently the New York governor Andrew Cuomo has declared a state of emergency in order to have "a more expedited purchasing and testing protocol," while the US President Donald Trump tried to blame Coronavirus missteps on former president Barack Obama.
During a recent White House event President Trump said, "The Obama administration made a decision on testing that turned out to be very detrimental to what we're doing. And we undid that decision a few days ago so that the testing can take place in a much more accurate and rapid fashion. That was a decision we disagreed with. I don't think we would have made it, but for some reason, it was made. But we've undone that decision."
