The Saudi Ministry of Health strongly denounced yesterday rumors that have been spreading via SMS about the entry of millions of HIV-infected yellow melons into Saudi Arabia through its northern border.

A Saudi Health Ministry source said that the message was totally false, and added, "HIV cannot be transmitted in food or drinks."

In Jeddah at the fruit and vegetable market, many people believed the rumor and decided not to buy the melons. A seller at the market, Ahmed Al-Yamani, said that people were buying watermelons instead of yellow melons.

A local doctor explained, "The three major routes of HIV transmission are unprotected sexual intercourse, contaminated needles, and transmission from an infected mother to her baby at birth."

Source: Arab News, Saudi Arabia, April 12, 2007