Kenyan student blasts local newspaper for distorting interview on China’s COVID-19 fight
A Kenyan studying in China has blasted a local newspaper for spreading false news about China’s fight against COVID-19.
Bernard Muthuri did an interview with the Daily Nation newspaper upon finishing 14 days of self-quarantine after his return to the East African country from China.
In a social media post however, he says the newspaper distorted his interview to portray that he had suffered while in China.
“I shared my story on the importance of self-quarantine and my 14-days experience of self-isolation but Daily Nation went ahead and published their own headline. I wish to clarify that China is not a hell as the Daily Nation is trying to purport,” Muthuri wrote on Twitter.
Muthuri is a student at Changan University located in Xi’an, China, pursuing a Masters degree in mechanical engineering.
Daily Nation in their article labeled China as a ‘hell”, a description Muthuri took issue with.
The contentious article narrates Muthuri’s struggles during his self-quarantine after returning home from China. The student likens the disturbance he went through from relatives to “hell”, but makes no mention of China as being ‘hell’.
“It was like hell. Some family members wanted to forcibly see me. I remember there’s a day my uncle came home drunk and almost broke into my room, saying he doesn’t fear the virus. But my parents kept encouraging and praying for me until Monday when I completed my 14 days of isolation,” Daily Nation quotes Muthuri.
In an exclusive interview with China Media Group to clarify the situation, Muthuri said his intention was to inform the public about self-quarantine.
“Life was just normal because the school was providing us with everything. It’s only that we were advised not to move out or to intermingle with other people. And the school was also furnishing us with the right information about the virus. They provided us with the precautionary gadgets like masks and sanitizers. And also, they were giving us fruits so as to improve our body immunity and also all other relevant materials were being given by the school,” he said in the interview with CMG’s Yang Qiong.
“I wish to put on record that those (the Daily Nation report) were not my actual words and my intended message was to give my experience about my 14 days of quarantine,” he added.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has in the past warned against misinformation regarding the COVID-19 outbreak, saying it posed a threat to the fight to stop the virus.
Various health authorities around the world have also urged against misinformation and fake news regarding the coronavirus.
Earlier this month, Health Minister in South Africa Zweli Mkhize called out people spreading fake news, saying they jeopardized the fight against COVID-19.
“We must stop spreading fake news that either ridicules the efforts of the health worker or that frighten people or send stories around,” Mkhize said.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom said to journalists in a briefing on March 5: “As providers of information, you play a vital role in the response to COVID-19. The fight against rumours and misinformation is a vital part of the battle against this virus. We rely on you to make sure people have accurate information about the threat they face, and how to protect themselves and others.”
Muthuri said that he had contacted the Daily Nation newspaper about the misinformation, and the outlet promised to issue an apology about the distorted story.
“The Daily Nation editors, I have talked to them. I have asked them why they wrote such a headline, and they have said they will issue an apology and they have also edited the headline online. I am waiting to see if they will really write an apology letter concerning that headline,” he said.
The Daily Nation has since changed the headline of the story in its online publications, but Muthuri was still awaiting the promised apology by the time of publication.
