The Wuhan coronavirus has infected thousands and killed more than 170 people. Just as the disease itself has spread rapidly, so too has disinformation about its origins and possible cures have proliferated on social media.

Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have been racing to limit the spread of bogus conspiracies about remedies for coronavirus and theories about how it started. A blizzard of false posts, videos and groups have been springing up regardless.

Meanwhile, Russian media has been quick speculate that American bioterrorism could be responsible for the coronavirus outbreak - despite a complete lack of evidence.

Here are a few of the false claims and how they have spread on social media.

Fake: coronavirus was 'planned by Bill Gates'

One theory being pushed on YouTube accounts and on Twitter is that the coronavirus was somehow planned. In particular, one claim gaining traction is that it was somehow predicted by the Bill Gates and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The Gates Foundation had given a multimillion dollar grant to an organisation working on vaccines for similar coronavirus strains.

Another alleged "link" being spread by some YouTubers relates to an October 2019 pandemic simulation event by Johns Hopkins University, the World Economic Forum and the Gates Foundation. In the simulation, a fictional disease spreads and kills 65 million people in 18 months.