Amazon removing products that claim to cure coronavirus

E-commerce giant Amazon has warned sellers that it is removing listings for products from the platform that claim to cure the novel coronavirus.

With the coronavirus spreading to over two dozen countries and the overall death toll in mainland China surpassing 2,000, fighting misinformation about the virus has become a major challenge.

On top of it, some sellers are even trying to cash in on the fears of the virus by making false claims.

According to a report in CNBC on Thursday, Amazon, in once case, warned a seller it would delete their listing for surgical face masks for making "unapproved medical marketing claims."

But despite the warning to third-party merchants this week, a quick search by CNBC led to several examples of products that appeared to flout these rules, including disinfectant sprays and cleaners that claimed to "kill" the coronavirus.

The charge of hosting products claiming to "kill" coronavirus emerged after the platform earlier dealt with accusations of hosting unsafe, counterfeit, and even expired goods.

Amazon was reportedly one of several technology companies that had discussed with the World Health Organization on measures to fight misinformation about the coronavirus spreading on their platforms.