Chinese students in ‘coronavirus-hit’ UK campus are drinking VINEGAR because they think it cures deadly disease
TERRIFIED Chinese students in a '' university campus are drinking rice VINEGAR because they think it cures the deadly disease.
Groups of panicked graduates at the University of Edinburgh are downing the condiment and mass buying surgical masks to protect themselves.
Engineering student Yuki, 24, told SunOnline that his friends have been panicking about the illness.
He said: "Some of them bought vinegar because they heard it was effective for this disease. They drink it.
"I dont know why, maybe a rumour, in this panicked situation people can very easily use these useless methods.”
He added: “In my residence there are so many Chinese students - about 80 per cent.
"I am a little bit anxious. For example today there will be a party in my flat for Chinese New Year, but I’ll try to avoid contact.
"I think so many Chinese people will go back to China there will be a risk."
Some of my friends drink vinegar because they heard this method was effective.
Yuki, 24
Asian students in the UK are on red alert about the deadly virus that has claimed the lives of 25 in China, with confirmed cases skyrocketing to over 800 in the country.
In Britain 14 people have been hospitalised over the illness, with fears that thousands more people could be at risk.
After days of intensive checks by medics in quarantined wards all of the patients were given the all-clear this afternoon
Out of the 14, five were tested for the killer illness in Edinburgh and Glasgow hospitals, while a man was being assessed in Belfast and another in Hillingdon.
Public Health England have not disclosed where the remaining seven people were tested.
Screenings are currently ongoing on other people, the Chief Medical Officer for England has said.
PANIC BUYING
A university pharmacy run out of masks after selling more than a year's worth of stock in just one day.
One 25-year-old post graduate student told Sun Online: "I am waiting to get a mask from our school. You can buy them.
"All the research says if you put on tour mask it will probably reduce the risk.
"I am quite concerned."
He added: "If I was in China I would probably worry about this situation because the number of patients they publish is not true.
"I believe the number of patients is much larger. I think the government is probably lying."
A pharmacist at the Bristo Square pharmacy said they had sold hundreds of face masks to Chinese students - with fresh stock having to be shipped from Ireland.
I am waiting to get a mask from our school. You can buy them. All the research says if you put on tour mask it will probably reduce the risk.
Anonymous studebt
She said: "All our suppliers are out of stock.
"One yesterday said they had years worth of supply now they had none. They are shipping face masks from Ireland for us.
"Yesterday we sold well over 1,000. They bought them in boxes.
"The real boom was yesterday. Definitely more than a year's worth in just one day.
"We have no face masks in here. We dont get any more til Monday.
Sales of hand gel and thermometers have also rocketed.
Another worker at the pharmacist said a Chinese girl who came in with symptoms was put in quarantine by doctors upstairs.
She said: "We had one Chinese girl that was getting tested.
"She went to the doctor upstairs and they had her isolated.
"She said she wasn’t feeling well."
UNI WARNINGS
An email from the University of Edinburgh, seen by Sun Online, told students feeling unwell after recently travelling to Wuhan province or elsewhere in China to contact their GP.
Whilea notice posted on the university health centre and pharmacy, next to a Chinese flag, warned people not to enter the building if they had travelled to Wuhan City in the past 14 days and have a fever, sore throat, shortness of breath or a cough".
One Chinese post-graduate student at Heriot-Watt University said she started taking extra precautions three or four days ago after news of the suspected outbreak broke.
All of my classmates are worried and they really care about this. This is the first thing we talk about every day.
Anonymous student
She said: "Most of my friends have masks.
"I do not have one on me, but it is on the way. I have ordered it from Amazon.
"I open my window all the time for ventilation. I wash my hands more frequently than before.
"All of my classmates are worried and they really care about this
"This is the first thing we talk about every day."
An 18-year-old biology student said fellow Chinese students were even warning pals to stay away from university to avoid the risk of infection.
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She said: "It's quite dangerous. We need to protect ourselves with masks.
"I have got several masks.
"People are saying they feel very insecure in their conditions.
"People are saying do not go to lectures, only go to school when necessary - if you have a practical or a workshop, but most of the time just stay at home."
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