WHO working with Google to combat virus misinformation

The head of the World Health Organization says it’s working with Google to ensure that searches about the new coronavirus from China turn up information from the United Nations health agency first, part of efforts to fight “rumors and misinformation” about the outbreak.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the opening of WHO’s executive board meeting today that social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Tencent and TikTok “have also taken steps to limit the spread of misinformation” about the coronavirus and outbreak that first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in late December and has now spread to 23 other countries.

The number of people infected by the virus globally has topped 17,000. It has killed more than 360 people, all but one in China.-AP