'Fake Alert': MEA Denies Reports of World Leaders Falling Sick After BRICS Summit

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday dismissed social media reports claiming that several world leaders fell ill after attending the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, describing the reports as fake and warning people against circulating unverified information. The clarification came after posts began circulating online alleging that leaders who attended the summit had fallen sick following their visit to the Indian capital. The claims quickly attracted attention on social media, with some posts attempting to link the alleged illnesses to the BRICS gathering.

The MEA FactCheck account responded to the claims, cautioning users against what it described as malicious posts circulating on social media platforms. The ministry did not support the broader narrative that multiple leaders had become ill after participating in the summit. The speculation also followed reports concerning South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. His office said that he had temporarily stepped back from public engagements after returning from India and had been advised by doctors to rest because of ill health. The announcement subsequently became the basis for wider speculation online, with some social media users attempting to connect his condition with the BRICS Summit.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has also been mentioned in several unverified social media posts concerning the summit and his health. However, claims about a serious medical problem involving the Chinese president have not been officially established. The circulation of such claims has contributed to the wider wave of online speculation surrounding the health of leaders who attended the New Delhi meeting.

The 18th BRICS Summit was held in New Delhi, bringing together leaders and representatives of the expanded grouping for discussions on international affairs, economic cooperation, global governance and other issues. The event attracted considerable international attention, with several leaders also holding bilateral meetings on the sidelines. The large volume of photographs, videos and updates generated during the summit also created an opportunity for misleading claims to spread quickly online. Genuine announcements concerning individual leaders were combined in some posts with unsupported allegations involving other participants, making it difficult for social media users to distinguish verified information from speculation.

The MEAs latest warning comes against this backdrop. The ministry has urged users to exercise caution before believing or sharing posts making claims about the health of prominent international leaders. As of Thursday, there is no official evidence supporting the broader claim that multiple world leaders became sick because they attended the BRICS Summit in New Delhi. The MEA has specifically rejected the viral narrative as fake, underlining the importance of relying on official statements and credible reporting when dealing with sensitive claims involving the health of political leaders.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Hindustan Times.