In a bid to tackle the spread of misinformation, the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation (WHO) will on Friday trained journalists on reporting correctly about Covid-19.

Ministry of Health secretary of state and spokeswoman Or Vandine told The Post on Thursday that the Kingdom has seen many cases of “fake news” about the outbreak, particularly with regards to the only case reported in Cambodia last month and the docking of the MS Westerdam.

“Many social media users and media outlets are disseminating fabricated news about Covid-19 cases in Cambodia. These reports do not help raise awareness of the virus or how to prevent infections. Instead, they are politically motivated and aimed at bringing chaos and fear,” she said.

The training on Friday, organised by the ministry in partnership with WHO, seeks to help journalists better understand the virus and how it spreads so that they can report correctly.

Cambodian Institute for Journalism director at the University of Cambodia Moeun Chhean Narith said he supported the initiative as greater public awareness is needed to stop the spread of the disease.

“To help citizens and the country, journalists must adhere to a strict code of ethics and professionalism. They need to rely on the right sources, people with the right expertise and experience on the ground,” he stressed.