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Fears about a novel coronavirus originating from China have fuelled a tsunami of false reports and speculation about the pathogen’s whereabouts and effects, including in Saskatoon.

On Tuesday, The StarPhoenix traced false reports of coronavirus circulating on social media and found the misinformation apparently stemmed from a Snapchat account in the Philippines.

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A Snapchat post appeared to show a woman dressed as a nurse warning about coronavirus at St. Paul’s Hospital. It was shared by several Saskatoon-area Facebook accounts by people who interpreted it to mean the sickness had appeared in the province.

But the image wasn’t from St. Paul’s Hospital in Saskatoon or even St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver — it’s from the Philippines, whose capital, Manila, has its own hospital of the same name.

Associated accounts did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

A representative from Providence Health Care, which operates St. Paul’s in Vancouver, said the B.C. hospital was aware of the post but did not believe it would spread significantly.