Indian People Smear The Body With Cow Feces And Urine To Treat COVID-19

JAKARTA - Doctors in India are warning against the practice of using cow dung in the belief it will ward off COVID-19, saying there is no scientific evidence for its effectiveness and risk spreading other diseases.

The coronavirus pandemic has caused devastation in India. Data from the Ministry of Health of India, daily cases of coronavirus infection in India increased by 329,942, while deaths from the disease increased by 3,876. The total number of cases of coronavirus infection in India now stands at 22.99 million, while the total number of deaths rose to 249,992.

In the western Indian state of Gujarat, some believe they have gone to a cow shelter once a week to smear their bodies with cow manure and urine, in the hope, it will boost their immunity to, or help them recover from, the coronavirus.

In Hinduism, cows are sacred symbols of life and the earth. For centuries Hindus have used cow dung to clean their homes and for prayer rituals, as it is believed to have therapeutic and antiseptic properties.

"We saw, even the doctor came here. Their belief is, this therapy increases their immunity and they can go and treat patients without fear", Gautam Manilal Borisa, an associate manager at a pharmaceutical company, said the practice helped him recover from COVID-19 last year, told Reuters on Tuesday, May 11.

Since then he has been a permanent member of Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul Vishwavidya Pratishthanam, a school run by Hindu monks located just across the street from the headquarters of Zydus Cadila India, which is developing its own COVID-19 vaccine.

As participants waited for the feces and urine mixture in their bodies to dry out, they hugged or respected cows in shelters, and practiced yoga to increase energy levels. Wrap it then washed with milk or buttermilk.

Previously, doctors and scientists in India and around the world have repeatedly warned against practicing alternative medicine for COVID-19, saying it can lead to mistaken security and complicate health problems.

"There is no concrete scientific evidence that cow manure or urine works to boost immunity to COVID-19, it is entirely based on the belief", said Dr. JA Jayalal, national president at the Indian Medical Association.

"There are also health risks involved in smearing or consuming cow's feces and urine, other diseases can spread from animals to humans", he said.

In addition, there are also concerns the practice could contribute to the spread of the virus as it involves people gathering in groups.