Multiple posts shared on Facebook claim that a concoction of coconut water; salt; honey and lime juice, can cure COVID-19 infection. The claim is false: the recipe has not been proven as a remedy for Covid-19, medical experts told AFP.
The claim was posted here on Facebook on May 25, 2021.
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The post's Indonesian-language caption translates to English as: "In the name of Allah. A natural remedy/medicine to cure coronavirus.
"Ingredients:
"Coconut water
"One lime, squeeze its juice
"A half teaspoon of salt and
"Two spoonfuls of honey
"Mix all ingredients and then drink it
"May Allah always bless us with health
"Amen."
Screenshot of the misleading post, taken on June 11, 2021
A similar claim also appeared on Facebook here, here, here and here.
The claim, however, is false.
The purported remedy has not been scientifically proven as a COVID-19 cure, according to Ari Fahrial Syam, professor of internal medicine and dean of the University of Indonesia's medical school.
"That's a hoax, false news," he told AFP on June 10, 2021. "As of now, there is no modern or herbal medicine that can effectively kill Covid-19."
The claim in the posts is "baseless", said Zullies Ikawati, a pharmacology professor at Gadjah Mada University in the Indonesian city of Yogyakarta, told AFP on June 16, 2021.
"Until now there is no scientific proof to support the claim," she said.
AFP has debunked various false claims about purported novel coronavirus prevention, cures and treatments, including consuming salt; a concoction of aspirin, lemon juice and honey; and lemon water.