Kimchi and Cow Dung Prevent New Coronavirus?…Rumors Abound About Folk Remedies

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Amid the rapid increase in deaths due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia), private sectors are seeking alternative treatment methods to prevent infection in advance or to treat it, and among them, kimchi is being mentioned, reported the Washington Post (WP) on the 3rd.

WP reported through an article from Beijing, China, that several treatment methods related to the novel coronavirus are circulating, some proposed by doctors, some based on common sense, and some illogical methods as well. It is interpreted to mean that since the number of deaths from the novel coronavirus infection has exceeded 360 and there is no specific treatment, private sectors are seeking their own solutions.

Among these, WP mentioned kimchi. Opinions are emerging in Korean internet communities that kimchi can boost immunity and prevent disease. However, Korean health authorities stated, "Eating kimchi alone cannot prevent novel coronavirus infection. The best way is to wash your hands frequently," WP reported.

In India, there was also an opinion that cow secretions could be a treatment for the novel coronavirus. Swami Chakrapani Maharaj, leader of the Hindu Mahasabha, a Hindu fundamentalist political party in India, said that cow secretions could be used to treat novel coronavirus infection, claiming that it kills the virus and prevents its spread worldwide. However, WP explained that there was no mention of the specific manufacturing method.

Additionally, in China, there has been a growing line of people trying to buy Ssanghwangryeon, a traditional herbal medicine. Made from plants such as honeysuckle, this medicine gained popularity after a Chinese state-owned research institute suggested it could help suppress the novel coronavirus, and recent reports by Xinhua News Agency and CCTV also mentioned its effectiveness. WP noted that not everyone bought genuine products, and some purchased counterfeit ones.

Other treatment methods circulating in China include drinking chicken broth to induce sweating and raise body temperature, consuming herbs that expel parasites, drinking tea made by boiling medicinal herbs, and cleaning the throat and nose every morning and evening with warm salt water, WP reported.

WP advised, "If symptoms persist or worsen as advertised, see a doctor."

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