Dettol clarifies that there is no evidence it can kill new coronavirus
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Dettol cannot kill the deadly coronavirus, its manufacturers reportedly confirmed today according to a report on the Mirrror.
Scientists in the UK warn there is no evidence Dettol can kill the deadly Wuhan coronavirus rapidly sweeping the world after bogus rumours about the disinfectant spray have been spread online.
Eagle-eyed social media spotted a label on the back of a bottle which shows the product claiming to have been proven to “kill coronavirus”. It has been shared by thousands on social media.
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Suggestions were made to “stock up” on Dettol to prevent contamination. Some even fuelled conspiracies that Dettol is “the cure” for the virus – but it has been covered up, the Daily Mail reported.
Although Dettol says its products rid some coronavirus strains, such as that which causes the common cold, they have not tested it against the lethal Wuhan strain yet.
Fullfact factchecking reported that the key point here is that coronavirus is a broad category of viruses which includes a number of different respiratory illnesses. One is the common cold, but the category also includes SARS (the severe acute respiratory syndrome of which there were outbreaks in 2002 and 2004), and the new coronavirus identified in Wuhan.
The “human coronavirus” mentioned on the back of the Dettol bottle is almost certainly referring to the common cold.
The coronavirus identified in Wuhan is a new virus, which hadn’t been identified in humans before the first cases at the end of 2019.
Shoppers had insisted they’d seen claims on the anti-bacterial spray’s bottle that it could destroy “cold viruses (human coronavirus and RSV)”.
Experts expressed their doubts at this and, today, it is reported Dettol’s manufacturer has offered clarity itself.
RB, which makes the spray in Slough, Berkshire, said there is nothing to suggest it is effective in wiping out the strain of coronavirus, which has so far killed more than 200 people.
“RB has become aware of speculation about Dettol products and the novel 2019-nCoV coronavirus,” the statement reads.
“As this is an emerging outbreak RB, like all manufacturers, doesn’t yet have access to the new virus (2019-nCoV) for testing and, as a result, are not yet in a position to confirm levels of effectiveness against the new strain.
NZ Herald reports that Paul Hunter, professor of health protection and medicine at the University of East Anglia, in the UK, explained: “Dettol’s active ingredient is chloroxylenol which is a widely available disinfectant.
“Chloroxylenol is active against a wide range of viruses and bacteria and including coronaviruses.
“Its use is as a surface disinfectant on hard surfaces or on skin and wounds. It can also be incorporated into soaps.”
