Story By: Arian Movileanu, Sub-Editor: James King, Agency: Newsflash
An Indian MP has sparked outrage by encouraging people to drink cow urine like she does every day to protect them against COVID-19.
Pragya Singh Thakur, an MP from the city of Bhopal in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, made the unusual health suggestion in a video believed to have been filmed on Monday.
The MP, a member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) party, said “If we drink the urine of Indian cows, it reduces infection in our lungs”, adding “I drink cow urine every day. That is why I do not have Covid right now.”
The MP reportedly made the claim during a visit to a hospital where she supervised the delivery of 25 oxygen concentrators while not wearing a face mask.
In recent weeks, the MP was criticised for disappearing from the public eye while her constituents battled the latest wave of the novel coronavirus.
Earlier this month, BJP lawmaker Surendra Singh also recommended that residents drink cow urine to protect them from the virus, adding that 50ml should be mixed with cold water and drunk daily to achieve “natural immunity”.
He also said: “People should remember God, and do what older generations did to treat such things.”
National president at the Indian Medical Association Dr JA Jayalal pointed out: “There is no concrete scientific evidence that cow dung or urine work to boost immunity against COVID-19, it is based entirely on belief.”
In recent weeks, India has seen a huge spike in virus cases and the authorities said on Monday that there were 281,386 cases in the previous 24 hours, the first time daily cases had dropped from 200,000 since 21st April.
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