Fact check: Russia has released no lions over COVID-19

Fact check: Russia has released no lions over COVID-19

- News that Russian president, Vladimir Putin has released some lions to scare people in Russia is false

- The image was reportedly taken in Johannesburg in 2016

- The news which looked like a screenshot was reportedly photoshopped

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Over the weekend social media users were bursting with a lot of excitement over some lions allegedly released unto the streets of Russia by their president, Vladimir Putin.

This, according to the social media reports, was to ensure that no citizen flouts the directive from the president instructing everybody to stay indoors.

The news excited a lot of social media users because they believed the release of the lions unto the streets of Russia was the best thing to do to curtail the spread of the deadly COVID-19.

READ ALSO: Prophet Kumchacha struggles to spell coronavirus on Nana Ama McBrown's show (video)

The truth is that the image if the lion on the streets is one which was taken in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2016 and has nothing to do with Russia and the Coronavirus.

Apparently, the news was broken using a graphic app called ''break your own news'', which helps people design their own news items and also create their own content.

Research conducted revealed that a report of the same picture was carried on April 15, 2016, with the title, 'lion casually walks in the city centre'.

Times Fact Check has found the claim that Russia has unleashed over 500 lions on its streets to ensure people stay indoors in the light of coronavirus pandemic to be false.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Ursula Owusu’s husband tests negative

Meanwhile, Ghana’s Communications Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekufful, has revealed that her husband, Sam Ekufful has tested negative for the novel coronavirus.

In a post on her Facebook page, the Ablekuma West Member of Parliament noted her husband went into self-isolation upon his return from the UK.

“We thank God. So shall it be for all friends family and well wishers. Thanks for all the concern you showed and God bless you all, even those who were gloating,” she wrote.

READ ALSO: Coronovirus: Greater Accra markets to be closed on Monday for fumigation - Local Gov't Ministry

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Source: YEN.com.gh

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