Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Reuters
Reuters
Health

Portuguese officers raid clinics claiming 'ozone therapy' cures COVID-19

FILE PHOTO: A woman wearing a protective mask walks, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in downtown Lisbon, Portugal, May 14, 2020. REUTERS/Rafael Marchante/File Photo

Portuguese police detained five people on Thursday after raiding health clinics allegedly exploiting the coronavirus pandemic by claiming "ozone therapy" prevents or cures the highly contagious disease.

In a statement, Portugal's criminal investigation police agency, the PJ, said the suspects allegedly took advantage of the "fragility and vulnerability of people afraid of the virus or even infected".

The clinics - not named by the PJ - may have contributed to the spread of the disease, the police said, adding they also conducted various tests, namely to detect the coronavirus, without holding a license or meeting the required standards.

Two men and three women aged between 32 and 62, all working in the health sector, were arrested and will appear before a court, the PJ said.

(Reporting by Catarina Demony; Editing by Nick Zieminski)

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.