Over the last few weeks, a deadly new coronavirus has swept across China, infecting thousands of people and leading to huge travel bans.
The virus has killed more than 1,000 people, yet a pair of Instagrammers used the outbreak as an excuse for an extremely inappropriate ‘prank.’
David Flores and Morris Cordewell, from New York, shocked passengers on a New York City subway, after pretending to ‘spill’ the virus on the floor.
The pranksters got on the train wearing hazmat suits, and holding a clear container with a red liquid inside it.
They then proceeded to spill the liquid across the train floor, telling passengers it was coronavirus.
While the liquid was really Kool-Aid, the stunt terrified many passengers, who jumped on train seats in a desperate attempt to avoid the spillage.
Speaking to Insider, Mr Cordewell said: “The first half people were kinda scared. After we were like 'Yo it's a prank,' people were laughing.
"There was one lady with her kids sitting next to me just laughing the whole time. I don't know how she knew it was a joke, but she knew it was a joke the whole time.”
The response on Instagram has been very mixed.
One user wrote: “I’m two sided. One, it’s pretty serious right now and many people have died from the virus, but it’s good that their lifting people’s spirits and making people laugh.”
Meanwhile, one user replied: “Wow stupidity at its best,” while another added: “I know that is prank but they should punch their faces.”
The prank comes shortly after a YouTuber was arrested for pretending to have coronavirus while on a plane.
James Potok, a YouTuber based in Ontario, pretended he was infected with coronavirus while travelling on a WestJet flight from Toronto to Montego Bay.
During the flight, Mr Potok told passengers: “I just came back from Wuhan province, the capital of the coronavirus, I’m not feeling too well. Thank you.”
His ‘prank’ resulted in the plane, which was carrying 250 passengers, turning around.
.jpg?w=600)
