BBC Scotland ‘News’ continues to worry away at the story of pigeon droppings and two deaths at the Southern General. One of the deaths was due to an unrelated matter and the other is still being investigated , according to the BBC’s own website this morning:

‘The health board said one of the patients was elderly and had died from an unrelated cause. The factors contributing to the death of the other patient are being investigated.’

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-46953707

Despite this, BBC Scotland along with most of the press, have been keen to suggest the fungal infection derived from the pigeon droppings is in some way implicated in the deaths and that the pigeon infestation is now an NHS Scotland crisis. Some like the Extra have gone for it in true journalistic fashion and bugger any inconvenient facts.

We’ve heard the deaths described as happening ‘after’ or ‘linked’ to the fungal infection. In most cases the accurate account does find its way into reporting ‘after’ the impression has been made.

Given the saturation headline coverage it would be surprising if the popular impression was not that the pigeon dropping fungal infection had been the actual cause of death. Anyhow, tonight, Jackie Bird, showing little avian solidarity, said:

‘[T]he deaths of two patients from a rare fungal infection.’

This is clearly inaccurate. The deaths are not from the infection. At 10.30, Graham Stewart repeated the lie and this morning (22nd) it was to be repeated six times in the BBC Breakfast inserts. No doubt, we’ll be told we’re being pedantic or fussy, but this is how propaganda works in the West, with a stiletto and not with a hammer.