WUSA9 News was contacted by several viewers who saw this text message being shared on social media as a warning. The message reads:
8/21/17: 8:19:42 AM: Sammy:
Important message from Metropolitan Police to all citizen of United Kingdom.
“For the next few weeks do not drink any products from Pepsi, as a worker from the company has added blood contaminated with HIV (AIDS). It was shown yesterday on Sky News. Please forward this message to the people who you care.”
WUSA9 News researchers contacted United Kingdom Department of Health Media & Campaigns Executive, Lauren Martens who confirmed the message is a hoax and also not shown on Sky News. Martens also said Metropolitan Police did not have any issued statement about this message.
Donnica Smalls from The Center for Disease and Control Prevention National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention told us that a person cannot get HIV from consuming food handled by an HIV-infected person. Even if the food contained small amounts of HIV-infected blood, the virus would die off when it was exposed to air or the acid in your stomach.
Lastly, Aurora Gonzalez from PepsiCo media relations team sent WUSA9 researchers a sent our researchers the link to web post calling this story an “old hoax.”
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