"Chinese experts have discovered that the coronavirus can survive in human excreta for weeks. Even if the patients recovers fully, the virus can survive in his excreta for a few weeks. If a fly were to sit on such a person's excreta, and then sit on fruits, vegetables or other food items, the disease can spread further," says Bachchan in Hindi, in the video posted on Wednesday, where he calls for a Jan Andolan in the lines of Swachch Bharat Andolan under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the polio eradication movement, to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, Lav Aggarwal, ministry of health and family welfare's joint secretary Lav Aggrawal, dismissed the idea at a press conference on Thursday.
Commenting on Bachchan's tweet about coronavirus spreading through flies, Aggarwal said: "I have not seen his tweet, but technically I can say that this is an infectious disease and does not spread through flies."
Along with the video in the tweet, Big B also posted a message quoting a study in The Lancet.
"T 3481 - A study in the @TheLancet shows that coronavirus lingers on human excreta much longer than in respiratory samples. Come on India, We are going to fight this! Use your toilet: Har koi, har roz, hamesha. Darwaza Band toh Beemari Band! @swachhbharat @narendramodi @PMOIndia," went the message by @SrBachchan.