Kenya’s first case of Covid-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, was confirmed on 13 March 2020.
Within hours, what seemed to be a screenshot of a Facebook post by Citizen TV, a mainstream Kenyan news organisation, started circulating on the social network.
It claimed a second case of coronavirus had been confirmed “where a Multimedia University student tested positive”. The Multimedia University of Kenya (MMU) is based in Nairobi, the country’s capital.
“It is said probably over 1,000 students in MMU might be infected but they will have to wait for 14 days so that the virus shows up,” the screenshot read.
Did Citizen TV really report this news, on 13 March?
On 14 March Citizen TV posted the screenshot on their verified Facebook page with “FAKE” stamped on it.
“Fake alert!!! Kindly ignore this post that is doing the rounds and avoid sharing it to stop creating panic,” the post reads.
MMU then took a screenshot of Citizen TV’s verified post and shared it on their Facebook page. It also appears on the university’s website.
Kenya’s second and third cases of Covid-19 were only confirmed on 15 March, and announced by president Uhuru Kenyatta. – Grace Gichuhi
Within hours, what seemed to be a screenshot of a Facebook post by Citizen TV, a mainstream Kenyan news organisation, started circulating on the social network.
It claimed a second case of coronavirus had been confirmed “where a Multimedia University student tested positive”. The Multimedia University of Kenya (MMU) is based in Nairobi, the country’s capital.
“It is said probably over 1,000 students in MMU might be infected but they will have to wait for 14 days so that the virus shows up,” the screenshot read.
Did Citizen TV really report this news, on 13 March?
‘Stop creating panic’
On 14 March Citizen TV posted the screenshot on their verified Facebook page with “FAKE” stamped on it.
“Fake alert!!! Kindly ignore this post that is doing the rounds and avoid sharing it to stop creating panic,” the post reads.
MMU then took a screenshot of Citizen TV’s verified post and shared it on their Facebook page. It also appears on the university’s website.
Kenya’s second and third cases of Covid-19 were only confirmed on 15 March, and announced by president Uhuru Kenyatta. – Grace Gichuhi
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Further Reading
[email protected]: The challenges of working across Africa
Misinformation knows no borders and Africa Check often responds to similar false claims from country to country.
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