By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Health Minister B Sriramulu landed in a controversy after he proposed on Saturday that gargling with a magic potion of hot water, salt and turmeric was a cure for COVID-19. With the state recording a steady rise in the number of COVID-19 cases, the health minister was at the receiving end, and was forced to issue a clarification later. During his ration distribution tour in Ballari on Saturday,

the minister said, “There is no medicine for it (COVID19). But you can gargle with turmeric and salt thrice a day. Drink hot water instead of cold water. I am not a doctor but many people in China are recovering after gargling with turmeric and salt and drinking hot water. People of our state can also drink hot water.” The minister later put out a tweet clarifying that he was only referring to the antibiotic properties of turmeric and salt, and did not mean to promote the concoction as a treatment for coronavirus.