'Fake.. film?': Netanyahu shares fake video as proof of Iranian coronavirus cover-up

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come under fire for reportedly showing a fake video which he claimed was evidence of Iran’s underreporting of the coronavirus outbreak, Axios reported.

Netanyahu showed the clip to cabinet ministers and said it was provided to him by his national security adviser, Meir Ben-Shabbat, according to two Israeli ministers.

The video, which showed alleged “Iranian authorities” dumping body bags, was actually a scene from the 2007 series ‘Pandemic’.

The Israeli PM’s office did not deny the event took took place but said they knew the authenticity of the clip was unclear.

Iran has been one of the hardest hit countries in the region, with an outbreak that has led to more than 47,593 cases, putting pressure on the heavily pressured health service.

Read more: Negligence in crisis: Palestinian citizens of Israel 'not being tested for coronavirus'

As of Wednesday, authorities have confirmed 3,36 deaths from COVID-19.

Iranian ministers, MPs and generals have also been infected by the virus, and earlier this month Nasser Shabani, a top military commander in Iran’s IRGC forces was confirmed dead from the disease.

Iranian authorities were initially accused of underreporting the number of cases in the country, and the Islamic Republic’s mishandling of the outbreak has been blamed for quick spread of the outbreak across the region.

The COVID-19 virus, which was first detected in China's Wuhan in December, has killed more than 46,438 people worldwide, while over 926,625 infections have been confirmed.

The majority of those that infected with corona experience only mild or moderate symptoms, including fever and a dry cough.

As of yet, there are no known treatments for the virus, though more than 193,431 have already recovered from the infection.


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