A Hindu group in India on Saturday held a “cow urine drinking party” to ward off the coronavirus — amid claims that such offers medicinal benefits.

Since its outbreak in China in December, the virus has killed about 5,000 persons, with at least 138,000 infected across more than 100 countries.

While there is yet to be a vaccine for the COVID-19, the group of worshippers — called Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha (All India Hindu Union) — hosted the party in Delhi, the country’s capital, in the hope of shielding themselves from the killer virus.

According to The Hindu, an Indian media outlet, the event known as “gaumutra party” attracted many in queues as the substance was poured from kettles into small cups — referred to as “kulhads”.

The party began with prayers to the cow and then to coronavirus, asking it to leave peacefully and not kill more people.

There was also a large poster mounted to depict an avatar of Hindu god Narsingh as the virus.

Swami Chakrapani, the president of the group, disclosed that COVID-19 is the manifestation of a deity that has come to punish those who consume non-vegetarian meals.

“Coronavirus has come because of the people who kill and eat animals. When you kill an animal, it creates a sort of energy that causes destruction in that place,”Chakrapani said.

“Global leaders should get cow urine imported from India because the almighty resides only in the Indian cow and not in any foreign breed.

“I request all the presidents and prime ministers of the world to take cow urine on a daily basis. You have all these scientists who don’t know the cure, we have the cure given to us by the gods.”

It is believed that many Hindus consider the cow to be sacred, including some members of the Hindu nationalist party, who had earlier advocated that cow urine and dung be used to treat the coronavirus.

“We have been drinking cow urine for 21 years, we also take a bath in cow dung. We have never felt the need to consume English medicine,” Reuters quoted one attendee to have said.

The event comes a day after Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister, addressed leaders of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations, even as the number of coronavirus cases touched 107 in the country.

“We recognise we are in an unknown situation and can not predict with certainty how the situation will unfold further. It will be most valuable for all us to share our perspectives,” said the PM on Friday.

Despite claims about the “cow urine drinking” practice, medical experts have repeatedly warned that cow urine does not cure illnesses like cancer and there is no evidence that it can prevent coronavirus.