Evangelical Christians have blamed LGBTQ people for all sorts of natural disasters and diseases, from Ebola to earthquakes, and now they’re starting to falsely link the community to the new coronavirus COVID-19.

Steven Andrew from USA Christian Church has named March “Repent of LGBT Sin Month” to protect “the USA from diseases, such as the Coronavirus.” The flamboyant preacher has been nicknamed “Pastor Jazz Hands” by blogger Joe Jervis.

Related: Trump puts Pence in charge of coronavirus outbreak even though he botched Indiana’s HIV epidemic

“God’s love shows it is urgent to repent because the Bible teaches homosexuals lose their souls and God destroys LGBT societies,” the minister said in a video posted to YouTube.

“Our safety is at stake since national disobedience of God’s laws brings danger and diseases, such as coronavirus, but obeying God brings covenant protection… God protects the USA from danger as the country repents of LGBT, false gods, abortion and other sins.”

Right-wing pastor E.W. Jackson told listeners of his radio show that the “homovirus” has infected America. Jackson was the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor of Virginia in 2013 and he ran in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in 2012 and 2018. He lost all three races.

“The last thing in the world the black community needs is more destruction of the family, more attacks on the family, and that’s all this whole homosexual movement amounts to,” Jackson said. “It is a virulent, violent attack. You know what? I’m going to get in trouble for this one, but this is right off the presses: It is the homovirus for the family.”

“Of course, I am speaking from a spiritual and a psychological perspective. I hope that no one misunderstands my little putting together of two things, because you know we’re talking about this coronavirus. I’m not talking about physical illness. I’m not talking about pronouncing any physical curses on people.”

Earlier last month, televangelist Jim Bakker said his STI cure – Silver Solution – completely cures the coronavirus in 12 hours even though “it hasn’t been tested on this strain of the coronavirus.” The product costs $115 on his website, and the website is also required by California state law to tell people that Silver Solution contains chemicals that “cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.”

Bakker has been ordered to stop “making misleading claims regarding the Silver Solution’s effectiveness” by the New York Attorney General’s office. The letter demands that a representative from the show contact the office within 10 days to confirm compliance and threatens “to bring suit to enjoin any deceptive acts and practices, and to seek restitution, damages, and penalties of up to $5,000 per violation” if Bakker ignores the demand.

The disgraced televangelist, who went to jail for defrauding followers and who was accused of raping a woman who worked for him, has turned his television show into an infomercial for “End Times” buckets of dehydrated foods and quack medical “supplements” and cures. A vociferous defender of President Donald Trump, he regularly promotes rightwing conspiracy theories and has warned that civil rights for LGBTQ people will lead to Americans slaughtering Christians in the streets.