Nobel laureate Paul Krugman quickly racked up more than 10,000 “likes” Saturday afternoon for his tweet placing the blame for a cholera outbreak in Puerto Rico squarely on “Trumpie,” i.e., President Donald Trump.
Cholera. In a US territory. Among US citizens. In the 21st century. Heckuva job, Trumpie.
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) September 30, 2017
He is the worst example of leadership ever in this country ever he could care less what happens to those people they're brown https://t.co/t8Rk2jPFMy
— helena collins/resist cult45 (@helenaissarcast) September 30, 2017
Trump is making 19th Century diseases great again. https://t.co/4kFaPMaYDY
— Brando (@Brandossius) September 30, 2017
Can he be held criminally liable for his negligence? https://t.co/7IOftdl5Hr
— (((Jennifer G))) (@jengrimman) September 30, 2017
https://twitter.com/IndivisibleOX/status/914229711152336896
Message heard and received. Those who stuck around for around six hours, though, were treated to a follow-up tweet in which the New York Times columnist admitted the cholera outbreak was, um, “not confirmed” and “not certain.” Heckuva fact-check, Kruggie.
OK, cholera not confirmed. Conjunctivitis yes; lack of clean water (situation worsening, not improving) makes it a risk. But not certain
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) September 30, 2017
It’s true that magazines like Wired and The Daily Beast, along with left-wing blogs like The Daily Kos, have published pieces about a cholera outbreak being possible, but for now it’s fake news. Not fake enough for Krugman to delete his tweet or apologize, though.
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CDC does not anticipate cholera cases in Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands b/c of #Maria. #MariaPR https://t.co/dzSnsaj50u
— CDC (@CDCgov) September 30, 2017
Cholera is rare in the U.S. and is not widespread to Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands. #MariaPR
— CDC (@CDCgov) September 30, 2017
There was no evidence of cholera in Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands before Hurricane #Maria made landfall. #MariaPR
— CDC (@CDCgov) September 30, 2017
Steve Inskeep of NPR hasn’t been able to confirm any cases of cholera.
This would be horrific if it happened – but searches of NYT, NPR, and Google at 2:40 ET showed no report of it. Source? https://t.co/R0n7UlB88d
— Steve Inskeep (@NPRinskeep) September 30, 2017
Be aware of misinformation from all sides. THIS IS NOT TRUE! https://t.co/RWfZRjvQNH
— Miguel Ríos-Berríos (@miguelrios) September 30, 2017
https://twitter.com/JoThoHalloran/status/914168503023828993
This is actual fake news. There's zero evidence of this. Stop tweeting without sources, or you're the same as Trump. https://t.co/6iaqDdNvhV
— Dr24hours (@Dr24hours) September 30, 2017
There are NO reported cases of cholera in Puerto Rico so far. Don't spread this rumor when neither reputable media nor CDC have reported it. https://t.co/G5vIJ04LpU
— Laura Seay (@texasinafrica) September 30, 2017
Please do not post without a source. The conditions – the miasma – do not make a disease. Bacteria do – and they can be easily lab confirmed https://t.co/Vo3mMofArp
— Infectious Diseases (@InfectiousDz) September 30, 2017
I've seen this retweeted as truth many times on my timeline.
So grossly irresponsible.
Fake news makes it harder to hold Trump accountable. https://t.co/MEMp7V28Xa— Roger Pielke Jr. (@RogerPielkeJr) September 30, 2017
Actually, there are as yet no confirmed reports of cholera that I have been able to find using reliable sources. It's been Twitter rumors. https://t.co/LzXyXcwNKY
— David Gorski, MD, PhD (@gorskon) September 30, 2017
7731 retweets. The retraction tweet (if there is one) will get 16. https://t.co/t7lty5hZ5K
— Carl Gustav (@CaptYonah) September 30, 2017
Fake News. On Twitter. With 8,000 RTs & 17,000 Likes. Heckuva job, Paulie. https://t.co/1rs1XZe5WM
— Becca H (@LadyOnTheRight1) September 30, 2017
It doesn’t matter; those who hate Trump will believe he somehow caused a cholera epidemic by ignoring the crisis in Puerto Rico because of all the brown people. Right, Kruggie?
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