The Chinese Embassy in Manila has dismissed social media claims about an alleged new virus outbreak in China as “fake news.”
In a statement released on Friday, December 3, the embassy refuted reports suggesting that a Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) outbreak in China had prompted the country to declare a state of emergency.
“These posts are not true,” the embassy asserted, urging the public to rely on verified information from credible sources.
Similarly, the Philippine Department of Health (DOH) issued a clarification earlier the same day, stating that the claims circulating on social media are unverified and lack support from reliable authorities such as the World Health Organization (WHO).
“Reliable sources currently do not support circulating posts on social media about an alleged international health concern. There is no confirmation from either the cited country or the World Health Organization (WHO),” the DOH emphasized in its statement.
The DOH also assured the public that the Philippines remains a proactive participant in the WHO’s International Health Regulations (IHR) network, which provides accurate updates on global health issues.
Authorities reminded the public to be cautious about misinformation and to verify news through trusted channels.
