Latest news straight to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

The company which makes Dettol has urged people not to try injecting disinfectants as a way of treating Covid-19 after Donald Trump said "it would be interesting to check that".

During his latest press conference, the US president noted that researchers were looking at the effects of disinfectants on the virus and wondered aloud if they could be injected into people, saying the virus "does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it would be interesting to check that".

Hours later disinfectant manufacturer RB, the company behind the Dettol and Lysol brands, issued a statement saying: "Due to recent speculation and social media activity, RB has been asked whether internal administration of disinfectants may be appropriate for investigation or use as a treatment for coronavirus.

"As a global leader in health and hygiene products, we must be clear that under no circumstance should our disinfectant products be administered into the human body (through injection, ingestion or any other route)."

Donald Trump has been roundly slammed after suggesting that 'disinfectant injections' could help fight coronavirus during a bizarre White House press briefing.

The US President also pondered whether it was possible to shine ultraviolet rays 'inside the body'.

The US president's ideas were quickly dubbed 'irresponsible and dangerous' by medical experts following his rambling speculation in front of reporters, the Mirror reports.

Walter Shaub, the former boss of the Office of Government Ethics in the US, is reported to have said on Twitter: "It is incomprehensible to me that a moron like this holds the highest office in the land and that there exist people stupid enough to think this is OK.

"I can’t believe that in 2020 I have to caution anyone listening to the president that injecting disinfectant could kill you.”

Trump, who is already facing ongoing criticism for his handling of the pandemic, raised the ideas as he questioned William Bryan, acting head of the US Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate.

Trump appeared to take that idea and run with it.

"Supposing we hit the body with a tremendous... whether it's ultraviolet or just very powerful light," he asked.

"Supposing we brought the light inside the body, which you can do either through the skin or in some other way. Sound interesting.

"I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in a minute, one minute, and is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside... or almost a cleaning...

"As you see it gets in the lungs, and it does a tremendous number on the lungs."