Coronavirus disinformation fueling death threats against doctors in northern Colombia

Doctors in Colombia’s coastal city Cartagena are being threatened with death after disinformation over the coronavirus turned ugly, local media reported Wednesday.

The death threats on social media come as the coronavirus pushed Cartagena’s healthcare system to the brink of collapse, while entire districts are being militarized.


Coronavirus sinks Cartagena from being Colombia’s pride to Colombia’s shame


To add to the tensions, baseless claims began appearing on social media, claims that the doctors would be fraudulently diagnosing people with COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus.

The unfounded rumors fueled death threats in Cartagena, where the virus had already increased general tensions and anxiety to a boiling point.

Death threat on Facebook

The president of the Colombian Society of Internal Medicine, Virgil Carballo, told newspaper El Espectador that a general misunderstanding of the virus and diagnostics led to both the baseless corruption claims and the death threats.

Colombian Society of Internal Medicine president Virgil Carballo

Medical personnel throughout Colombia have been subjected to discrimination and death threats amid fears they could infect others.


From heroes to pariahs: Colombia’s medical personnel discriminated over coronavirus paranoia


“We reject the acts of discrimination and aggression we are victim of on a daily basis by the very people we are trying to help,” health organizations said in a letter to President Ivan Duque on Monday.

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