Fake text messages and rumours circulating claims of Covid-19 cases at Springvale Shopping Centre have been quickly quashed by the centre, which says “there is no such outbreak here”.
The text messages falsely claimed there had been six cases of coronavirus at the centre and all staff were in quarantine – without proof or that the sender was from a governing body.
The messages also stated: “Please tell anyone you know who goes to Springvale shopping centre in last 2-3 days”.
In a Facebook post Springvale Shopping Centre slammed the false messages, calling the material – which had been spread via WhatsApp Messenger and other social media – as a “dangerous prospect for us all” if people didn’t verify information.
“You can rest assure that at Springvale Shopping Centre that we are leaving no stone unturned in our quest to make this the cleanest and safest centre in Melbourne,” it said in the post.
“In this time of uncertainty, it is paramount that you get the right information,” it said.
City of Greater Dandenong Council also weighed in on the issue saying council had not received any information regarding confirmed cases of coronavirus in Springvale.
“This message is a hoax. Council does not communicate with residents via text message,” council posted on its Facebook page.
Chee-ky Dunlop, who runs the Keysborough Resident’s Facebook Page, said his brother had fallen victim to the viral message.
“I don’t where my brother got that from, he just sent that to us in the family WhatsApp,” Mr Dunlop said. “He was more affected by it and warning us of it being so close to home.
“You don’t know if they’re just kids trying to have a laugh.”
In a further notice to residents, Springvale Shopping Centre posted a letter on its Facebook page regarding “another rumour” that its centre had been “harbouring coronavirus cases”.
“As of 31st March 2020 at 10:30am, there is no official information which substantiates any level of claims,” the notice stated.
Meanwhile, anxious residents also took to Facebook after observing a typed letter pinned to the entrance of Springvale Shopping Centre regarding unfounded claims of a coronavirus outbreak.
Monash University’s Dr Carlo Kopp said until a concerted global effort was made to solve the problem of fake news consumption and spreading, “it will continue to put human life at risk”.
Concerned residents are urged to go to health.gov.au and state government websites for coronavirus-related information.
