The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic reminded many of the Pokémon characters “Koffing” (coughing) and “Weezing” (wheezing).
   
“I would’ve thought Koffing or Weezing would’ve gotten No. 1 thanks to Coronavirus” was posted on Twitter by Egg on February 28, 2020. “Anyone else thing Pokémon characters Koffing and Weezing look suspiciously similar to the Coronavirus?” was posted on Twitter by Debbie Newberger Speregen on March 6, 2020. “With the Coronavirus as bad as it is, has pokemon banned Koffing and Weezing for showing symptoms?” was posted on Twitter by Defanged Develon on March 16, 2020. 
     
“Did you hear about the Pokemon that has Covid-19? It was Koffing” was posted on Reddit—Jokes on May 15, 2020.
 
   
Wikipedia: 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak
The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The outbreak was first identified in Wuhan, Hubei, China, in December 2019, and was recognised as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020.
   
Wikipedia: Pokémon
Pokémon (English: /ˈpoʊkɪˌmɒn, -ki-, -keɪ-/), also known as Pocket Monsters in Japan, is a Japanese media franchise managed by the Pokémon Company, a company founded and with shares divided between Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures. The franchise copyright and Japanese trademark is shared by all three companies, but Nintendo is the sole owner of the trademark in other countries. The franchise was created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1995, and is centered on fictional creatures called “Pokémon”, which humans, known as Pokémon Trainers, catch and train to battle each other for sport.
 
Bulbapedia: Koffing (Pokémon) 
Koffing (Japanese: ドガース Dogars) is a Poison-type Pokémon introduced in Generation I.
 
It evolves into Weezing starting at level 35.
   
Twitter         
Egg
@EggScrambl3d
Replying to @Pokemon
I would’ve thought Koffing or Weezing would’ve gotten No. 1 thanks to Coronavirus
2:57 PM · Feb 28, 2020·Twitter Web App
 
Twitter     
Debbie Newberger Speregen
@Devralicious
Anyone else thing Pokémon characters Koffing and Weezing look suspiciously similar to the Coronavirus?
@Pokemon
#koffing #weezing #pokemon #coronavirus
11:21 PM · Mar 6, 2020 from Long Beach, NY·Twitter for iPhone
 
Twitter     
Death
@AfterLifesUber
What’s the coronavirus’ favorite pokemon?
Koffing!
GIF
2:58 PM · Mar 8, 2020·Twitter for Android
     
Twitter     
Nobius
@nobius
Anyone else notice that the graphic they’re using for #coronavirus basically is Koffing from #Pokemon?
10:19 AM · Mar 11, 2020·TweetDeck
 
Twitter     
Evelyn Joy
@manicpizzadream
Big news. Game Freak to remove Koffing, Weezing, and Galarian Weezing from Pokémon Sword and Shield out of respect for coronavirus victims.
#PokemonSwordShield #coronavirus
3:39 PM · Mar 11, 2020·Twitter for iPhone
 
Twitter     
purrsecuted
@purrsecuted
can someone tell me why there is a pokemon called koffing who looks EXACTLY like the coronavirus
#anitwt #pokemon #coronavirus #COVIDー19
8:21 AM · Mar 16, 2020·Twitter for iPhone
   
Twitter     
Mrs. Pixy Styx
@MrsPixyStyx
Who’s that Pokemon? Is is Koffing & Wheezing?
#pokemon #COVID19 #blackhumor #badnerdjoke #pandemicpun #coronapocalypse #DontCatchEmAll #quarantine #StayTheFHome
2:51 PM · Mar 16, 2020·Twitter Web App
 
Twitter     
Defanged Develon
@DefangedDevelon
With the Coronavirus as bad as it is, has pokemon banned Koffing and Weezing for showing symptoms?
10:46 PM · Mar 16, 2020·Twitter Web App
 
Twitter     
Sleeping symbol
@stayfunstefan
Yo, did corona virus is the real-life version of the pokemon koffing? And one of the symptom the virus is COUGHING?! Just like the Pokemon’s name?! omfg
5:11 AM · Mar 18, 2020·Twitter for Android
   
Twitter     
Zack Agee
@Dream_Seer95
I find it #interesting that Koffing and Wheezing from #Pokemon look a lot like the images they have of the #COVID19 virus
1:46 PM · Mar 18, 2020·Twitter for Android
 
Twitter     
lee harvey
@harvinator2000
Hey #Pokemon #pokemongo where the hell is the special Coronavirus event with increased spawns of Koffing and Wheezing? #coronavirus #PokemonGOCommunityDay
6:51 PM · Mar 21, 2020·Twitter for iPhone
 
Twitter 
Wexton
@W3X70N
Replying to @Pokemon
Koffing looks like corona virus, which causes you to cough. Coincidence?
6:53 AM · Mar 25, 2020·Twitter for Android
 
Twitter 
ΚΔΚ ΒΔΚ
@Crystalite95
Pokémon predicted SARS and SARS Remix (COVID-19/Coronavirus) as the Poison Type Koffing and Weezing.
Quote Tweet
₳₦₲ɆⱠ🅙Flag of United StatesFlag of Haiti
@AngelGail_4
· Mar 22
Bomboclaat
11:21 AM · Mar 25, 2020·Twitter for iPhone
 
Twitter 
Guybrush Tweetgood
@FalcoholicCartz
pokemon’s got a damn coronavirus character and his damn name is koffing and this just shook me to my core the nerds have known all along
11:39 PM · Apr 1, 2020·Twitter Web App
 
Reddit—Jokes 
Posted by u/adrockc2 May 15, 2020
Did you hear about the Pokemon that has Covid-19?
It was Koffing.
 
Twitter 
PokédexBot
@PokedexInfoBot
Replying to @barrypopik
weezing is a poison pokemon.
Where two kinds
of poison gases
meet, 2 KOFFINGscan fuse into a
WEEZING over many
years.
3:30 AM · May 16, 2020·pokedexinfobot
 
Twitter 
PokédexBot
@PokedexInfoBot
Replying to @barrypopik
koffing is a poison pokemon.
Lighter-than-air gases in its body keep it aloft.
The gases not only smell, they are also explosive.
3:30 AM · May 16, 2020·pokedexinfobot