World Health Organization

Is the monkeypox virus known to spread through airborne transmission, as suggested by a post on Instagram Threads? No, that's not true: Global health agencies agree that the primary way the virus is spread is through close or direct contact between an uninfected and infected person's body fluids, lesions or saliva, plus contaminated clothing or bedding. The U.S. Department of…

Does a 2017 paper on resveratrol suggest it could be used to stop or treat monkeypox as part of the public health emergency declared in August 2024? No, that's not true: An author of the paper told Lead Stories that resveratrol was never tested on humans or animals in their research, and it's "unclear if it suppresses poxvirus replication." An…

Did the World Health Organization order governments to "Prepare for 'Mega Lockdowns' Due to 'Deadly Monkeypox' Strain"? No, that's not true: WHO responded to a Lead Stories inquiry about the report of orders for lockdown preparation with "It is false." Preparations for or even the suggestion of major lockdowns because of the monkeypox virus would be major news worldwide, yet…

Did Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz sign a bill "allowing gender reassignment surgery for children"? No, that's not true: No state law sets a specific minimum age for gender-affirming surgical interventions, a Minnesota lawmaker told Lead Stories. Major health care providers do not operate on people under 18. One bill signed into law protects youth access to those services discussed in…

Does a video on Instagram show helicopters in El Salvador spraying communities with something harmful to humans in the guise of treating for mosquitoes? No, that's not true: El Salvador's National Defense Ministry said the clip shows the Salvadoran Air Force carrying out fumigation for mosquito control. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says aerial spraying does "not pose…

Did the World Health Organization (WHO) call for military forces to "round up mRNA vaccine refusers during the bird flu pandemic," as an August 2024 article claimed? No, that's not true: In an emailed statement to Lead Stories, WHO said that the article making the claim presents "flagrantly false information" since WHO has no power to mobilize military troops. The…

Did former President Jimmy Carter die on July 23, 2024? No, that's not true: The owner of the account that posted a fake letter about Carter passing away told Lead Stories he carried out the hoax to show how sensationalist news spreads. The Carter Center, a human rights organization founded by the 39th president, also denied that Carter had died,…

Were mammograms banned in Switzerland as of July 22, 2024, as a post on Instagram claimed? No, that's not true: Switzerland's Federal Department of Home Affairs told Lead Stories that "mammography is not banned at all in Switzerland." It is covered by health insurance and recommended by health experts for women over 40. The claim appeared in a post on…

Does the conservative "Project 2025" initiative to reshape the U.S. government call for a ban on abortion and contraceptives, increased retirement age, cuts in Social Security and Medicare benefits, plus elimination of overtime pay and of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration? No, that's not true: Lead Stories found these claims, posted on Facebook, to be false by reviewing the…

Did Russian President Vladimir Putin say at a "military press conference in Russia" that the U.S. was planning to launch a second pandemic "aimed at disrupting the 2024 election" domestically? No, that's not true: Neither a viral AI-generated article making the claim nor earlier pieces speculating about it offered any proof that Putin actually said that. Lead Stories searched both…