A viral claim suggesting that a new variant of COVID-19, identified as Ligma variant, is much more transmissible than the original variant is found to be a hoax. The claim has gone viral on social media with many netizens falling prey to the claim.
According to CDC the B.1.1.7 (Alpha), B.1.351 (Beta), B.1.617.2 (Delta), and P.1 (Gamma) variants circulating in the United States are classified as variants of concern.
What is Ligma Variant?
The hoax about the Ligma variant on COVID-19 being rampant went viral after illustrator Danny Hellman posted a series of tweets suggesting the increase of COVID-19 cases in hospitals. "I just did a Twitter search on "I just left the ER. We are officially getting crushed," and found six accounts tweeting the same message," Hellman's tweet read.
While majority of the tweets used in the screenshot posted by Hellman, mentioned the rampant spread of Delta variant, one tweet spoke about the Ligma variant.
"I just left the ER. we are officially back to getting absolutely butt-fucked by covid-19 ligma variant is running rampant and it's MUCH more transmissible than the original virus. 99% of our icu admits did NOT ligma balls. virtually ALL of them wished they had," read the tweet made by a user @NJOverclocked. The tweet was made on July 24.
There were several others who also spoke abut their fear about the Ligma variant of the virus. "guys I'm really starting to get worried about the Ligma variant," wrote a user.
"I heard the LIGMA variant is the most dangerous," wrote a user as another added: "The CDC announced a warning about the new Ligma variant of Covid. Hopefully we don't go back into lockdowns"
Here is the Truth Behind Ligma Variant
Debunking the claim behind the emergence of and rampant spread of Ligma variant, Lead Stories stated that Ligma is a fictional disease. Quoting Know Your Meme, the website revealed that Ligma is a fictional disease associated with a death hoax started by Instagram user ninja_hater in 2018. The hoax claimed that Fortnite streamer Ninja had passed away after contracting the Ligma disease.
The intention of this joke was to prompt concerned fans to ask what Ligma is, to which participants in the hoax would respond with "ligma balls" ("lick my balls"), a joke setup similar to Deez Nuts and Updog. The hoax also spawned in-jokes about the fictional nationality Sugondese ("suck on these"), the Indonesian city Grabahan ("grab a hand") and the fictional diseases Sugma ("suck my") and Bofa ("both of"), reported the outlet.
