Covid-19: Public distrust hampers Africa fight against virus misinformation


A man wearing a mask walks on the street in Tembisa, east of Johannesburg, South Africa. Bogus news and indifference to official warnings are emerging as giant obstacles in a region where poor healthcare infrastructure, sanitation and overcrowded slums provide fertile ground for Covid-19 to spread.— AP

JOHANNESBURG: African nations fighting the novel coronavirus face a foe as stealthy and dangerous as the microbe itself: misinformation and apathy, fuelled by deep distrust of government.

Bogus news and indifference to official warnings are emerging as giant obstacles in a region where poor healthcare infrastructure, sanitation and overcrowded slums provide fertile ground for Covid-19 to spread.

Subscribe or renew your subscriptions to win prizes worth up to RM68,000!

Monthly Plan

RM13.90/month

Annual Plan

RM12.33/month

Billed as RM148.00/year

1 month

Free Trial

For new subscribers only


Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.

Fake news

   

Next In Tech News

Diehard gamers are fuelling demand for esports hotels in China
When AI’s output is a threat to AI itself
Beware of crypto scams on Bluesky, already a victim of its own success
What forcing Google to sell Chrome could mean
To maintain growth, AI firms seek accords with publishing giants
Australia PM plays down privacy fears of social media ban for children
Trump pick Lutnick's firm in talks with Tether for $2 billion bitcoin lending project, Bloomberg reports
Growing social media app vows to shake up ‘toxic’ status quo
US plans to reduce Intel's $8.5 billion federal chips grant below $8 billion - New York Times
Opinion: Ultimate Fakebook

Others Also Read