Screenshot of the Facebook post by N.Đ, a 17-year-old boy in Hà Nội's Sơn Tây Township. The poster was fined for spreading fake news on a vaccine against coronavirus. — Photo screenshot from N.Đ's Facebook.

HÀ NỘI — Police in Hà Nội’s Sơn Tây Township have fined a local teenager VNĐ6.25 million (US$269) for spreading fake news about the use of drugs to treat acute respiratory infection caused by a new strain of coronavirus.

N.Đ, 17, residing in Trung Sơn Ward in Sơn Tây Township, posted a status on his Facebook account saying that Việt Nam has found a vaccine that can stop coronavirus – ketamine.

He explained that ketamine, after being put into the human body through the nose, will create a protective matrix covering the mouth and nose. The coronavirus would not be able to penetrate the body and soon die due to this protective matrix.

The post stated that Việt Nam would donate about 10 tonnes to China to help them stop the epidemic.

Ketamine is a drug used to induce loss of consciousness, or anaesthesia, in veterinary medicine and is used for some surgical procedures in humans. It can produce relaxation and relieve pain in humans and animals.

However, it is also a commonly abused as a "recreational" drug like ecstasy, due to its hallucinogenic, tranquilising and dissociative effects. The drug has been banned in Việt Nam.

The post attracted many likes and comments from other users. He later removed the post.

At the police station, accompanied by his parents as guardians, the poster admitted making up information to get attention. — VNS