The Indonesian Minister of Agriculture found himself in an embarrassing situation, after claiming that a necklace made of eucalyptus tree, could help prevent the transmission of the Corona virus infection. Sehrol Yassin Limbo said that the necklace, if worn for 30 minutes, could help destroy many coronavirus. He said that the Ministry of Agriculture developed it, provided it with some small additives and inhalers, and it will be produced in large quantities in August. However, the Ministry retracted this claim, when it faced criticism from an infectious disease specialist, and claimed that these products would not be advertised as having the ability to prevent or treat "Covid-19", and instead would be classified as herbal products, according to The head of the Ministry's R&D department, Vadri Jafri, said on Monday.
Allegations
Since the epidemic of the coronavirus, a number of politicians, religious leaders and other influencers around the world have claimed to have discovered a cure to the virus, undermining health professionals ’efforts to provide clear information to the public.
Such baseless allegations about the contract have drawn criticism from health experts in Indonesia, including the deputy director of the Ekman Institute for Molecular Biology, Heratati Sudoyo, who emphasized: “We know that the world has yet to find a cure for this epidemic, And I think it would be wise for us not to spread such rumors in a society already terrified. ”
However, the Indonesian Minister of Health, Terawan Agus Petranto, continued to defend the necklace.
He told Compass TV that people who wear this necklace may feel more confident, and this can boost their immune systems. He previously said that the prayers helped prevent the spread of Corona viruses in the country.
Legends
While many Southeast Asian countries have managed to contain the spread of Covid-19, Indonesia is facing increased outbreaks.
But this tree has shaped human history for centuries, and many myths have been woven around it. Biologist at the National Museum of Denmark, Natalie Canals, who comes from the Amazon forest region of Peru, says that the boat extracted from this tree has saved millions of lives throughout history.
Quinine is extracted from the bark of this rare tree, which is the first drug to treat malaria in the world. Hundreds of years ago, the discovery of this substance was welcomed by some, and sparked suspicion by others around the world. In the past weeks, this medicinal substance has become the subject of widespread global controversy. Some have promoted laboratory-created alternatives to quinine, such as chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, as possible treatments for the emerging corona virus.
Indonesian Health Minister Terawan Agus Petranto continued to defend the necklace. He said that the people who wear them may feel more confident, and this can boost their immunity.