US sees major rise in deaths after Trump endorses bleach, disinfectant poisoning as COVID-19 treatment
The American Association of Poison Control Center (AAPCC) has released the latest figures that show a substantial spike in deaths in the country due to accidental poisoning caused by the intake of bleach, household cleaners and other disinfectants over the past two months. This spike has been followed by US President Donald Trump's comments suggesting Americans could inject disinfectants to cure themselves of coronavirus.
As per the official figures, the deaths due to household disinfectants in the months January and February 2020 increased by 5% and 17% respectively while the months of March and April have seen an astronomical rise of 93% and 121%.
Trump, in a Coronavirus Task Force briefing on April 23, had made a suggestion that coronavirus appears to weaken quickly when exposed to sunlight and heat, and that bleach and isopropyl alcohol, when used on surfaces, could kill the virus within minutes. Trump then went on to say that based on these 'assumptions' injection of these disinfectants should be considered as a means of treating coronavirus in USA.
“I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning. Because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs,” Trump said.
