FACT CHECK: Applying Coconut Oil on your Legs and Feet Will NOT Protect You from Dengue!

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many other seasonal diseases have also created health risks in different parts of the country. Dengue fever is one of the most prominent diseases among these.

Over the past few weeks, there has been an increased number of Dengue patients reported from many parts of Sri Lanka, with Gampaha and Colombo recording the highest numbers. The total number so far in 2023 is over thirty-four thousand by mid of May. With such record numbers, health units warn that there is a risk of a dengue epidemic in the future, and multiple Dengue control programs are implemented continuously throughout the island.

In this context, government and health officials share many messages regarding precautions to be undertaken by individuals and societies to prevent Dengue. Also, there are social media posts advising people on precautions to be taken to avoid Dengue. One such recurring post that caught our attention is spreading widely on WhatsApp and other social media platforms. This message claims that applying Coconut oil on your legs below your knee would protect you from Mosquito bites and thus from contracting Dengue.

The post also claims that dengue-causing mosquitoes can't fly above your knee! The message sounds Bizarre! But people have been sharing the message believing that humble coconut oil can actually save them from a Fatal disease like Dengue. The high number of shares can also be attributed to the fact that the message has been attributed to Dr. B. Sukumar from Tirupati Saisudha Hospital, India. However, Fact Crescendo found that the claims are not only Bizarre but false as well.

Let us understand what is being claimed in the viral message and what is the truth.

Social Media Claim

A photo of a handwritten note is being circulated among social media in the name of a doctor, claiming coconut oil is effective against dengue fever. The message in English attributed to a certain Dr. B Sukumar at Tirupati Saisudha Hospital is as follows: "This message is to inform you all that Dengue viral is going on. So please use coconut oil below your knees till your footsteps. It is a antibiotic. And a Dengue mosquito cannot fly higher than knees. So please keep this in mind & start using it. Spread this message as much as you can. Your one message can save many life's" - Dr. B. Sukumar Saisudha Hospital Tirupati.

The Message was viral among WhatsApp users as well.

However, Factcrescendo found it is false information and has no connection with the doctor mentioned in the viral message. Read below to understand how we came to this conclusion.

Fact Check

While researching on social media, we found that the same message has been translated and shared in various languages by users who presumed this information to be truthful.

First, Factcrescendo contacted Sri Saisudha Hospital in Tirupati to verify the veracity of this message. When we spoke to Dr. Sukumar, he clarified: "I am an orthopedist. This is a false campaign that has been going on in my name for many years. I have never posted a message like this anywhere. Message is totally false. Moreover, it has not yet been scientifically proven that coconut oil has any such benefits against Dengue fever."

As Dr. Sukumar said, the message has been circulating on social media in his name for many years. Here is one such post circulating on Facebook since 2017.

According to the World Health Organization's report on dengue prevention and control measures, Dengue may become fatal in the coming years. Significant distress can be expected in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. According to a similar study published by WHO, mosquitoes that cause Dengue ( Aedes aegypti) have a range of flying up to 400 meters.

Also, dengue mosquitoes are usually able to fly up to 50 feet from the ground level. Therefore, a number of dengue cases are also reported from apartments. In the year 2021, there were a number of reports of dengue outbreaks around high-rise buildings in Hyderabad, India.

Therefore, it is clear that the statement highlighted in the social media posts, which claims that dengue mosquitoes only fly at a height below the knee, is false.

Let us share some of the information we found in our research to see if coconut oil has antibiotic effects. But unfortunately, nowhere is it scientifically proven that coconut oil can fight deadly diseases like Dengue.

Source: The Conversation

Monolaurin is a substance that is isolated from coconut oil. It is used to fight simple bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. Monolaurin has gained popularity as an effective infection fighter. But Monolaurin is not directly present in coconut oil. A study carried out on mice proved that coconut oil does not act as a disinfectant.

Before Fact Crescendo, many other organizations have also debunked this misinformation over the past many years. You can read a few of such fact-checks using the links given below:

Consultant pediatrician Dr. Deepal Perera

Consultant pediatrician Dr. Deepal Perera at the Lady Ridgeway Children's Hospital (LRH) requests parents not to take Dengue fever lightly and to remain vigilant amidst the current outbreak. Dr. Perera says that children should be tested for Dengue if they have a continuous fever of over two days, and those who tested positive must be given natural liquids. Dr. Deepal also asked parents not to give children too much paracetamol in the case of Dengue as it could impact liver functions. He also suggests that children should not be overexerted until about three weeks after they recover from Dengue. Listen to his entire message here.

Here is an important message from the Health Promotions Bureau that requests Dengue patients to refrain from the use of NSAID (Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs)

Also Read: How is Climate Change Contributing to the Spread of Dengue?

Conclusion

From our investigation, it is clear that the contents of the viral message are as absurd as bizarre they are. The message has been misattributed to Dr. Sukumar, who himself has clarified that he has no association with the viral message. The claims made in the message are also scientifically incorrect; coconut oil can't protect you from mosquito bites and, thus, Dengue. We request our readers to consult a medical expert for health-related advice and to refrain from forwarding such misleading messages.