Health authorities in Arunachal Pradesh have moved swiftly to dismiss an unauthorised and misleading message circulating on social media regarding attendees of the recently concluded Ziro Music Festival. The viral posts urged people who had gathered for the cultural event in the Lower Subansiri district to immediately get themselves tested for HIV, sparking unnecessary alarm among visitors and local residents.
Official Circular Refutes Viral Advisory
Lower Subansiri District Medical Officer Dr. Millo Kunya released a formal circular declaring that government health agencies had issued no such medical advisory. The circular clarified that rumours claiming festival participants were asked to undergo HIV screening because individuals living with the condition had visited from outside the state were completely baseless and fabricated. Medical officials highlighted that no administrative agency had sanctioned or authored the viral message.
Misuse of AIDS Control Society Name
The viral online alert falsely attributed the testing directive to the AIDS Control Society, claiming an alert had been sounded due to attendees arriving from other parts of the country. Dr. Kunya confirmed in the notification that neither the State AIDS Control Society nor the District AIDS Control Society had put forward any such notice or guidance. The official circular stressed that attributing the post to these public health organisations was inaccurate and fraudulent.
Appeal to Halt Misinformation and Avoid Panic
Health administrators have appealed directly to the public as well as media platforms to exercise restraint and avoid sharing unverified updates that trigger confusion. Officials urged citizens to rely exclusively on legitimate and verified administrative channels for public health advisories. The gathering at Ziro regularly brings together musicians, performers, and thousands of spectators from across India, and authorities emphasised that spreading fabricated warnings harms public trust.
