Forty-six church goers have been infected with coronavirus in South Korea after church officials sprayed salt water inside their mouths after falsely believing that it will help prevent a Covid-19 infection, South China Morning Post has reported.

As per the report, the Church authorities sprayed the believers using the same spray bottle and did not disinfect the nozzle. This incident happened at the River of Grace Community Church in Gyeonggi Province.

This “spraying exercise” held between 1 March and 8 March involved putting the nozzle inside a church goer’s mouth and then spraying the salt water. The nozzle though was not disinfected after each spraying which made it highly conducive for the virus to spread. Even the pastor and his wife are now suffering from Covid-19.

This whole exercise was a result of a false belief that salt water helps prevent a coronavirus infection.

The church has now been closed and all its members are being screened for coronavirus. Incidentally 25 other cases have been reported from other churches in the province.

It may be recalled that a major church in South Korea had emerged as an epicentre of the nation’s coronavirus outbreak after one of its devout follower twice refused to get herself tested despite showing coronavirus symptoms. She later spread it to other church followers, at least 300 linked to the church were infected.

According to the Korea Center for Disease Control, the Shincheonji church’s unorthodox worship practices is also said to have contributed to the spread of the virus among its congregation. Members are expected to kneel in tight rows and aren’t allowed to cover their faces with items like glasses or face masks.