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Is it true that asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19 who die of other medical problems will be added to the coronavirus death toll? No, that's not true: Many asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19 are not getting tested in the first place, so that assertion doesn't hold up. Lead Stories reached out to the president of the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME),…

Will boiling orange peels with cayenne pepper help treat or prevent the novel coronavirus? No, that's not true: There's currently no cure or vaccine for COVID-19, and several home remedies circulating on the Internet are bogus. There is no scientific evidence that this formula will help treat the virus. The claim originated in a post (archived here) published on Facebook…

Did Russian President Vladimir Putin release 500 lions onto the streets of that country to keep people indoors amid the coronavirus outbreak? No, that's not true: The screen grab of a news report claiming that Putin released lions is four years old and is from a movie shoot. The claim appeared on Facebook as a post (archived here) where it…

Are black people more resistant to COVID-19 and not susceptible to death from the virus? No, that's not true: News reports and social media posts from those who've contracted the virus, not to mention official documentation gathered by the World Health Organization's regional office for Africa and words from trusted doctors, show that all human beings -- no matter their…

Did 60 Senate Democrats vote against a coronavirus stimulus bill, meaning nobody is getting checks? No, that's not true: For one thing, there are not 60 Democrats in the U.S. Senate. Second, the Democrats voted on March 22, 2020, against a key procedural vote that would have advanced the bill because they said they were unhappy with worker protections. However,…

Does a photo of hundreds of people lying on the street acurrately depict the dire situation in Italy due to the coronavirus? No, this is not the case: The picture claiming to show people dead and ill splayed on a the street in Italy - and as a warning to do more in the United States - actually dates to…

Do physicians and other medical workers need to insert a swab through the nasal passage to the top of the throat of possible patients to test for COVID-19, or the novel coronavirus. Yes, that's true: A meme on social media illustrating the test is accurate, but also suggests that people not wanting to endure the pain of the procedure should…

Did a video from the British broadcaster Sky News about coronavirus victims at a hospital in Italy get taken down? No, that's not true: The report is still available on the network's YouTube channel. Lead Stories is not fact checking the video; we are just noting the claim that the report got taken down is false. The claim appeared in…

Will spending time in a sauna or aiming a hairdryer towards your nose kill the coronavirus? No, that's not true: This is not sound medical advice. A viral video making the rounds suggests those home remedies. However, doctors say those efforts will not kill the novel coronavirus, and in some cases, could do some damage. The claim surfaced in a…

Are helicopters being used to spray disinfectants into the air to eradicate the coronavirus? No, that's not true: This is a false rumor spreading around the world on social media, as well as through popular messaging services. The hoax has prompted authorities in several countries to issue denials. The claim has appeared on multiple platforms, including a post (archived here)…