{"id":827,"date":"2020-04-27T08:20:14","date_gmt":"2020-04-27T08:20:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/srilanka.factcrescendo.com\/english\/?p=827"},"modified":"2022-02-21T10:03:25","modified_gmt":"2022-02-21T10:03:25","slug":"fact-check-fake-article-about-dr-elisa-granatos-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/srilanka.factcrescendo.com\/english\/fact-check-fake-article-about-dr-elisa-granatos-death\/","title":{"rendered":"FAKE NEWS ALERT: Dr. Elena Granato Is Not Dead\u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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University of Oxford researchers had begun testing a COVID-19 vaccine in human volunteers last week. At a time when scientists and health care professionals around the world are working round the clock to fast track a cure or a vaccine for the deadly disease, this project grabbed worldwide attention. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr Elisa Granato, a microbiologist<\/a>, was one of the members of the first batch of 2 patients to get injected with the vaccine last Thursday (23rd April). They were to be monitored for a period of 48 hours after which another batch were to be injected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On this backdrop, a number of social media reports were shared across the world with the caption \u201cFirst volunteer in UK coronavirus vaccine trial has died \u2013 News Oxford\u201d as seen below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Link<\/strong><\/a><\/td>Archived Link<\/strong><\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n
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Most of these posts were based on a report by a website called \u201cNews NT\u201d and they went on to state that \u201cResearchers who are awaiting for an autopsy to be conducted believe the Elisa had an underlying health condition which was not disclosed to health officials.\u201d Below is an extract from the article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Link<\/strong><\/a><\/td>Archived Link<\/strong><\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n
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Fact Check <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

First we carried out a Google News search, since such an incident must have been reported by media worldwide, yet did not find any report related to the death of Dr Elisa Granato. Instead, we found a number of news reports mentioning the news related to death of Dr Elisa was fabricated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We checked the Oxford University news on Twitter and noticed a Tweet from the Department of Health and Social Care, UK as below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNews circulating on social media that the first volunteer in a UK #coronavirus<\/a> vaccine trial has died is completely untrue. Before sharing unsubstantiated claims online, use the SHARE checklist to help stop the spread of harmful content: https:\/\/sharechecklist.gov.uk<\/a>\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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News circulating on social media that the first volunteer in a UK #coronavirus<\/a> vaccine trial has died is completely untrue.

Before sharing unsubstantiated claims online, use the SHARE checklist to help stop the spread of harmful content:
\u25b6\ufe0f https:\/\/t.co\/9rAFQES8Xm<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/HgG4cHnLFQ<\/a><\/p>— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) April 26, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote>