Facebook removes President Trump post claiming Covid is ‘far less lethal’ than flu

Facebook has removed a post from US President Donald Trump in which he claimed Covid-19 is “far less lethal” than seasonal flu.

Mr Trump returned to the White House on Monday evening after spending three days at the Walter Reed Medical Center, where he was receiving treatment having tested positive for Covid-19.

He wrote the US had "learned to live with” flu season, “just like we are learning to live with Covid, in most populations far less lethal!!!”

A Facebook spokesperson confirmed the company deleted the post for breaking its rules on Covid-19 misinformation.

US President Donald Trump.

“We remove incorrect information about the severity of Covid-19, and have now removed this post,” said Andy Stone, policy communications manager at Facebook.

Twitter hid the same message behind a warning about “spreading misleading and potentially harmful information”.

“Doctors and scientists are working to estimate the mortality rate of Covid-19, but at present, it is thought to be substantially higher (possibly 10 times or more) than that of most strains of the flu,” a Johns Hopkins University fact sheet reads.

Both Facebook and Twitter have pledged to combat potentially dangerous misinformation around Covid-19.

On Monday evening, shortly before his release from hospital, Mr Trump wrote on Twitter that the country has no reason to fear Covid-19 and adding: ‘Don't let it dominate your life’.

In his tweet, Trump said: “Feeling really good! Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life.

“We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs & knowledge. I feel better than I did 20 years ago!”

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