Indian guru warned against marketing $7 herbal virus 'cure'

NEW DELHI: A hugely popular Indian guru touting herbal remedies as a $7 cure for coronavirus was told by the government Tuesday that he needed to prove his claims before further marketing.

Baba Ramdev, a supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said the remedy would be available from next week through his lucrative Patanjali Ayurved company, claiming it was 100 percent successful on nearly 300 test patients.

The ubiquitous company is worth several hundred million dollars, selling everything from toothpaste to jeans. It is a major player in a vast Indian consumer goods market of 1.3 billion people.

Speaking at his company's headquarters in Haridwar, saffron-robed Ramdev said that "Coronil" and "Swasari" could cure coronavirus in a week.