Rumours of new XBB variant Covid-19 wave spark run on anti-diarrhoea drugs in China
- Online post triggers panic buying reminds of frenzy over paracetamol and other Covid-19 supplies as cases surged last month
- Diarrhoea is not a particular symptom of Covid-19 caused by the XBB variant, health experts have said in urging people not to stockpile drugs
Health experts hastened to quash the rumours, saying diarrhoea was not a particular symptom of Covid-19 caused by the XBB variant and it was “extremely unlikely” that China would see a new wave within three months.
But their assurances failed to stop the panic buying.
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He went on to say the XBB.1.5 had become dominant in the US within 15 days and was much more dangerous than those seen so far in China.
A screenshot of the social media post quickly went viral, triggering panic buying of anti-diarrheal drugs under the belief that XBB caused gastrointestinal symptoms.
This followed a similar frenzy over fever medicines, pulse oximeters or oxygen generators when China’s biggest ever wave of Covid-19 hit last month.
