Mangalore, Aug 18: The people in Mangalore panicked after rumours that a student from National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK) Suratkal died of deadly virus Ebola.
The rumours started trickling down on the popular mobile messenger WhatsApp warning the people to take precautionary measures.
The message read, “Ebola reached Karnataka unfortunately!! Infected poor Sreejith-M.Tech, NIT suratkal, expired today. Please take precautions against this Virus and spread the awareness!! Friends plz eat tulsi leaves to safeguard yourself from this virus ebola becz this virus directly effects the human immune system. Tulsi leaves are good for the human immune system so this is a precaution to save u from the ebola virus...” (sic.)
However Health officer in the district rubbished the rumours. He said that a student of Ethiopian origin was doing PhD at NITK, but that student has not visited Eithiopia since two years.
The NITK officials termed the information baseless' and unfortunate.' They said certain miscreants are at action to defame the institution which has national reputation and students from different countries including Sudan, Ethiopia, and Nigeria also study here.
They also informed that the rumoured death of a student was not due to Ebol but of viral fever and lung infections.
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