Anger in China as whistleblower doctor dies of virus

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) - Death of a whistleblower doctor, who had raised alarm over the outbreak of the fatal virus in China, has stirred outrage among people.

Li Wenliang, who was an ophthalmologist at a hospital in Wuhan -- the epicenter of novel coronavirus which has killed nearly 637 persons -- died early Friday morning, according to state-run Global Times.

He was among eight persons who had on Dec. 30 last year informed colleagues that Wuhan was witnessing a deadly outbreak like 2003 SARS disease, the daily said.

Following the disclosure of the fatal disease, which has now affected more than 30,000 people across the globe, the eight-people group was summoned by police, reprimanded for giving details of virus and later forced to sign a bond pledging not to reveal more details of the epidemic, it added.

The virus is said to have been transmitted to humans from animals, particularly bats, causing panic worldwide.

Besides China, the virus has spread to at least 23 countries, including the U.S., the U.K., Singapore, France, Russia, Spain, and India. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak an international emergency.

Wuhan Central Hospital revealed that at about 2.58 a.m. local time Friday (1858 GMT Thursday) Li was no more.

It was on Dec. 30 that Li diagnosed a patient with SARS-like coronavirus signs. He informed his friends and colleagues and soon landed in a police station.

He returned to work but on Jan. 10, he reportedly started coughing followed by fever. Li was hospitalized on Jan. 12. He had been examining virus-infected patients until he was admitted to the hospital.

Zeng Guang, the chief epidemiologist at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CCDC), told Global Times that people should applaud the eight Wuhan residents.

“They were wise before the outbreak," he said.

Mourning Li’s death, Chinese people have expressed anger against the treatment meted out to the deceased doctor. Many people demanded that authorities should tender a posthumous apology to Li.

“None of the police has ever apologized to you. You could have been a national hero, but the dereliction of duty has claimed your life, along with a few hundred innocent lives,” Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post quoted a Chinese user of Weibo social media networking as saying.

Major social media sites are blocked in China, where people use restricted platforms like Weibo for conversations.

“The reprimand of Doctor Li will be a shame in China’s anti-epidemic history. Doctor Li alerted the public at the expense of his life. Wuhan police station still hasn’t recalled that reprimand notice even after his death,” another user said.

Michael Ryan, Executive Director of WHO Health Emergencies Program, said: “We are very sorry to hear the loss of any frontline worker who is committed to care for patients […] we should celebrate his life and mourn his death with his colleagues."