Template:Chinese name
Li Wenliang | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 12 October 1986 |
| Died | 7 February 2020 (aged 33) |
| Education | Master of Medicine |
| Alma mater | Wuhan University |
| Occupation | Ophthalmologist |
| Known for | Warning about the 2019–20 Wuhan coronavirus outbreak |
Li Wenliang (Chinese: 李文亮; pinyin: Lǐ Wénliàng; 12 October 1986 – 7 February 2020) was a Chinese ophthalmologist at Wuhan Central Hospital and a whistleblower who warned about the 2019–20 Wuhan coronavirus outbreak on 30 December 2019.[1][2] On 3 January 2020, Wuhan police summoned and admonished him for "making false comments on the Internet."[1][3] Li returned to work but later contracted the virus from an infected patient. He died from the infection on 7 February 2020.[4][5]
Life and career
Li Wenliang was born on 12 October 1986[6] in Beizhen, Liaoning, China.[7] Starting in 2004, he studied clinical medicine at Wuhan University for seven years[7] and acquired a Master of Medicine degree. After graduation, he worked in Xiamen, Fujian, for three years. He returned to Wuhan in 2014 to work as an ophthalmologist at Wuhan Central Hospital.[1]
On 30 December 2019, Li saw a patient's report which showed a positive result with a high confidence level for SARS coronavirus tests. At 17:43, he said in a WeChat group of his medical school classmates, "There were 7 confirmed cases of SARS at Huanan Seafood Market." He also posted the report and a patient's CT scan result. At 18:42, he added, "the latest news is, it has been confirmed that they are coronavirus infections, but the exact virus to be subtyped." He also explained what a coronavirus is with the message.[1]
After screenshots of his WeChat message were posted online, the medical superintendents of his hospital soon came to him for a talk.[1] On 3 January 2020, Zhangnan Street Police Station, Wuhan Public Security Bureau, Wuchang Branch censured Li for "making false comments on the Internet"[8] and made him sign a letter of admonition promising not to do it again.[1]
On 8 January, Li contracted the coronavirus when he saw an infected patient at his hospital. He developed a fever and cough on 10 January which soon became severe. On 12 January, he was admitted to intensive care where he was quarantined and given treatment.[9] Due to a shortage of test kits for the novel coronavirus, a definitive diagnosis of the infection was not made until 1 February. Many of his colleagues were also infected with the virus. While he was hospitalized, he posted a message online vowing to return to the front lines after his recovery.[10]
Reaction
He was under the spotlight of the Chinese public and media for he is considered as one of eight "rumormongers" warned by Wuhan police. However, according to some media, Wuhan police summoned eight "rumormongers" on 1 January, while Li and Xie Linka, a doctor from the Wuhan Union Hospital, were warned on 3 January, which means that the two persons might not be one of the eight "rumormongers."[11]
China's Supreme People's Court said that in retrospect, the eight Wuhan citizens should not have been punished as what they said is not entirely false.[12]
"It might have been a fortunate thing if the public had believed the 'rumors' then and started to wear masks and carry out sanitization measures, and avoid the wild animal market," the top court's social media account said on 4 February.[12]
Li told Caixin that he had been worried the hospital would punish him for "spreading rumors" but felt relieved after the top court publicly criticized the police. "I think there should be more than one voice in a healthy society, and I don't approve of using public power for excessive interference," said Li.[12]
Death
On 6 February, Chinese state media reported that Li had died at the age of 33.[13] However, Wuhan Central Hospital soon released a statement contradicting reports of his death: "In the process of fighting the coronavirus, the eye doctor from our hospital Li Wenliang was unfortunately infected. He is now in critical condition and we are doing our best to rescue him."[14] According to China Newsweek (中國新聞周刊), his heartbeat stopped at 21:30, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was used to keep him alive.[15] The effort was ultimately unsuccessful, and the hospital later announced that Li had died at 2:58 am on 7 February 2020.[4][16] During the confusion, at 1:49 am more than 17 million people were watching the live stream for his status updates.[10] Li was cremated before his parents could see him for the last time.[17]
The World Health Organization posted on Twitter saying that it was "deeply saddened by the passing of Dr Li Wenliang" and "we all need to celebrate work that he did on #2019nCoV".[18] The original tweet was deleted a few hours later.
The death of Li provoked considerable grief and anger on the social media which become extended to a demand for freedom of speech, though censors quickly blocked most of the comments and hashtags.[19][20] China's anti-corruption body, the National Supervisory Commission, has initiated an investigation into the issues involving Li.[21]
Family
Li and his wife had one child. His wife was pregnant with their second child when he died.[22] When he began showing symptoms, he booked a hotel room to avoid infecting family, before being hospitalized on 12 January. However, his parents still became infected with coronavirus.[10] His father's name is Li Shuying.[23]
See also
- Carlo Urbani, a doctor who was the first to warn about severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and died of the disease in 2003
- Jiang Yanyong, a doctor who was the first to reveal the actual situation of the 2003 SARS outbreak in Mainland China
References
- ^ a b c d e f Tan, Jianxing (31 January 2020). "新冠肺炎"吹哨人"李文亮：真相最重要". Caixin. Archived from the original on 31 January 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
- ^ "武汉肺炎：一个敢于公开疫情的"吹哨人"李文亮". BBC Chinese. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
- ^ "Coronavirus 'kills Chinese whistleblower doctor'". BBC News. 6 February 2020. Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
- ^ a b Zhou, Cissy (7 February 2020). "Coronavirus: Whistleblower Dr Li Wenliang confirmed dead of the disease at 34, after hours of chaotic messaging from hospital". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
- ^ "武汉中心医院：李文亮经抢救无效去世" (in Chinese). Sina Corp. 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
- ^ "武汉市公安局武昌分局中南路街派出所训诫书" (in Chinese). Zhongnanlu Street Police Station, Wuchang Division of Wuhan Police Bureau. 3 January 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
- ^ a b "武汉大学：李文亮校友，一路走好". The Paper. 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
((cite web)): CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ 林則宏. "武漢肺炎「吹哨者」：三周前就知道可「人傳人」了". 元气网. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
- ^ "被训诫医生李文亮去世". The Beijing News. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
- ^ a b c Deng, Chao; Chin, Josh (6 February 2020). "Chinese Doctor Who Issued Early Warning on Virus Dies". The Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
- ^ "讲疫情真话被训诫的武汉医生李文亮：想尽快回到抗疫一线". The Paper. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
- ^ 何雾. "李文亮于6 February 2020 晚在重症监护室去世". 界面新闻 (in Chinese). Retrieved 6 February 2020.
- ^ Austin, Henry (6 February 2020). "Chinese doctor who raised alarm over coronavirus dies from disease, hospital confirms". NBC News. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
((cite web)): CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ 張子傑 (6 February 2020). "【武漢肺炎】敢言醫生李文亮傳死訊 院方稱仍搶救中". HK01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 6 February 2020.
- ^ "Chinese doctor who sounded Wuhan virus alarm is critically ill, hospital says, after state media reported he had died". CNN. 6 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
- ^ [1]
- ^ World Health Organization [@WHO] (6 February 2020). "WHO on Twitter" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Li Wenliang: Coronavirus death of Wuhan doctor sparks outpouring of anger". BBC. 7 February 2020.
- ^ Graham-Harrison, Emma (6 February 2020). "'Hero who told the truth': Chinese rage over coronavirus death of whistleblower doctor". The Guardian.
- ^ Cao, Yin (7 February 2020). "Supervisory Commission to probe issues involving Dr Li". China Daily.
- ^ Buckley, Chris (6 February 2020). "Chinese Doctor, Silenced After Warning of Outbreak, Dies From Coronavirus". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
((cite news)): CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Li Wenliang: Coronavirus death of Wuhan doctor sparks anger - BBC News". web.archive.org. 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.