Indian Medical Community Warns Against 'Sodong' COVID-19 Treatment... "May Cause More Harm"

Hindus Apply Cow Dung All Over Their Bodies... Believe in Healing Effects
"Risk of Infection from Diseases Other Than COVID... Must Stop Immediately"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The Indian medical community recently issued warnings about a folk remedy gaining popularity among Hindus, which involves smearing cow dung all over the body as a way to overcome COVID-19. Amid the rapid spread of COVID-19 that has overwhelmed the healthcare system in India, various side effects from folk remedies and excessive drug use have been emerging.

According to foreign media including the Associated Press on the 10th (local time), the Indian Medical Association (IMA) warned that the folk remedy of applying cow dung on the body as a COVID-19 treatment is spreading among Hindus and that it is an unhygienic practice that poses a risk of infection with other diseases, urging people to stop it. Chairman Ja Jayalal stated, "There is no concrete scientific evidence that cow secretions enhance immunity against COVID-19. It is purely a matter of belief," and emphasized, "Using cow dung or urine can transmit other diseases from animals to humans, so such practices must be stopped immediately."

In India, as the healthcare system has been paralyzed by COVID-19, many Hindus are reportedly turning to the folk remedy of applying cow dung on their bodies. In Hinduism, cows have long been regarded as sacred animals, and cow dung is believed to have healing and disinfecting effects. It is even reported that some doctors consider cow dung a treatment and apply it all over their bodies, believing they have overcome COVID-19 thanks to cow dung.

According to local Indian media such as the Hindustan Times, dried cow dung was found in the luggage of an Indian tourist traveling to the United States on this day. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that cow dung was discovered in the tourist’s bag at an international airport near Washington, D.C., and all of it was disposed of. The tourist is said to have sent cow dung as a treatment to family members in the U.S. However, U.S. customs authorities strictly prohibit transporting animal secretions in luggage as they can cause contagious diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease.

Meanwhile, in India, cases of fungal infections have sharply increased, especially among diabetic patients, due to the excessive use of steroids known as COVID-19 treatments. On this day, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a research organization under the Indian health authorities, warned medical institutions that COVID-19 patients, particularly those with diabetes, have a high risk of developing "black fungus" infections.

Fungal infections occur when immunity is extremely weakened, allowing common environmental fungi such as dermatophytes to infect the body. It is mainly known to affect diabetic patients who have severely weakened immunity due to excessive steroid use. In western Maharashtra, India, eight people have already died from fungal infections, and about 200 are currently undergoing treatment.

This figure is more than ten times higher than usual, and Indian health authorities estimate that the problem has arisen as residents, gripped by fear due to the collapse of the healthcare system, have been excessively using steroids such as dexamethasone, a COVID-19 treatment.