PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — As the world races to find a vaccine and a cure for COVID-19, there's seemingly no antidote in sight for the burgeoning outbreak of coronavirus conspiracy theories, hoaxes, anti-mask myths and sham treatments.

The phenomenon is unfolding largely on social media. It escalated this week when President Donald Trump retweeted a false video about an anti-malarial drug being a cure for the virus and it was revealed that Russian intelligence is spreading disinformation about the crisis through English-language websites.

Experts say the flood of bad information is dangerously undermining efforts to slow the virus, which is now blamed for 150,000 deaths in the U.S.

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