'New Coronavirus = Beer Virus?' Surge in Searches for Corona Beer

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Park Sun-mi] As the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia) spreads beyond China to the rest of the world, searches for 'beer virus' are surging in countries worldwide. This indicates that some people are confusing the novel coronavirus with the Mexican Corona beer, mistaking it for a beer virus.

On the 31st, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that searches for Corona beer have surged globally through Google search engines in countries such as the United States and Singapore. The main search terms increasing are 'Corona beer virus' and 'beer virus.'

SCMP cited Google statistics, stating that the term 'Corona beer virus' first appeared in the search bar on the 9th of this month, when the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning about the novel coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province, China. Since then, as confirmed cases have emerged in countries including the United States, Thailand, and Vietnam, the number of searches has continued to rise.

The word "corona" means "crown" in Latin. The novel coronavirus was named "corona" because its surface resembles a crown. The Corona beer bottle also features a crown image.

The search term "Corona beer virus" appears most frequently in Cambodia, with high search volumes also in Slovenia, Singapore, New Zealand, and the United Arab Emirates. Searches for "beer virus" are common in Singapore, Latvia, Slovenia, Australia, and Canada.

Some have criticized the use of the novel coronavirus outbreak atmosphere for beer marketing. Recently, a bar in New Zealand displayed a sign saying, "Corona beer is on sale at a discount while the virus outbreak continues." On Facebook, a photo appeared showing two men wearing masks and protective suits holding Corona beer bottles.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.