Fish Contaminated with 'Zulican' Virus - Analysis
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This is a hoax, and an insidious one at that. According to health agencies throughout Asia, there's no such thing as a "Zulican" virus. The fish products normally consumed in countries affected by the December 2004 tsunami are perfectly safe to eat, officials say.
Asian governments are concerned because seafood sales have dropped drastically in devastated areas as a result of rumors to the contrary, affecting the livelihoods of fishermen and raising the possibility that some will go hungry for fear of eating contaminated fish.One variant of the rumor warns that fish have become contaminated because they have fed on the corpses of tsunami victims washed out to sea. This, too, has been denied by health experts. "Scientifically, there's nothing to prove that fish caught after the tsunami cannot be consumed," Sri Lanka's health minister told the Associated Press. Nevertheless, fish markets in that country have reported as much as a 90% drop in sales.
The rumors were first spread through text messages within days of the tsunami disaster, and soon thereafter via forwarded email. It attained hoax status when messages specifically referencing the nonexistent "Zulican" virus went into circulation.
The origin of the attached photographs is unknown.
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Sources and further reading:
Sri Lankans Stop Eating Fish
Associated Press, 2 January 2005On Alleged Zulican Virus
Philippines Department of Health press release, 4 January 2005Experts Allay Fears, Say No 'Zulican' Virus in Fish
Economic Times (India), 6 January 2005The Big Asian Seafood Scare
Asia One (Singapore), 9 January 2005Rs.500 mn lost in 12 days Due to Zulican Virus Rumour in Fish
Express Newsline, 7 January 2005EDITORIAL: Shudders of Revulsion
New Straits Times, 17 January 2005
Last updated: 01/19/05
