DR. LI WENLIANG
Li, a 34-year-old
ophthalmologist employed at one of the Wuhan hospitals, the epicenter of the
current health crisis, had noticed anomalies in some patients with severe
pneumonia last December, the causes of which were unknown. By evaluating the
symptoms – and comparing them with those of other serious respiratory syndromes
such as SARS – he hypothesized that the cause of the pneumonia could be a new
coronavirus. He expressed his hypotheses in a group chat with other people,
attracting the attention of the local police, who accused him of spreading
false and alarming news. A few weeks later, there would be confirmation of the
presence of a new coronavirus, the basis of severe pneumonia in Wuhan and
several deaths.
After being falsely accused,
and then exonerated, there he returned to work in his hospital in Wuhan. A few
days after visiting a patient who then tested positive for the new coronavirus,
she began to develop some symptoms and suffer from severe inflammation of the
respiratory tract. Coronavirus contagion was confirmed and, before he died, Li
told his story on Chinese social networks.
Dr. Li Wenliang died in
the early hours of Feb. 7 at the age of 34, according to the hospital where he
worked and was being treated for the coronavirus. The subsequent outpouring of
grief and anger catapulted the news of his passing to the top-trending topic on
microblogging platform Weibo. Initial media reports cited conflicting times of
death.
A photograph of the Wuhan
police’s letter reprimanding Li Wenliang for “spreading rumors” about the cause
of a mysterious pneumonia at his hospital. From @澎湃新闻 on Weibo
A doctor in Wuhan who is believed to be one of the eight
whistleblowers police reprimanded in early January for “spreading rumors” about
a mysterious pneumonia has become infected with the coronavirus that causes it.
“Today’s nucleic acid (novel coronavirus) test came
back positive. Everything is settled now — it’s finally confirmed.”
Li Wenliang, an ophthalmologist at Wuhan Central Hospital,
wrote Saturday morning on his Weibo microblog. His workplace, Wuhan Central, is
one of the city’s designated medical facilities for admitting and treating
suspected and confirmed coronavirus patients.
By Saturday morning, the novel coronavirus had killed 259 people in China and infected nearly 12,000, over half of whom reside in Hubei province, where Wuhan is located.
By Saturday morning, the novel coronavirus had killed 259 people in China and infected nearly 12,000, over half of whom reside in Hubei province, where Wuhan is located.
Prior to his diagnosis, Li had been working on the
front lines of the epidemic. Around Jan. 10, he developed a cough and fever, and
later had to be admitted to an intensive care unit. His parents were
hospitalized with similar symptoms.
In a separate post Friday, Li recounted how, on Dec.
30, he had examined the medical report of a patient whose condition seemed
strikingly similar to SARS, also caused by a coronavirus. Li decided to share
this discovery with his former medical school classmates so that they might
take appropriate precautions. In their class WeChat group, he sent a message
that read:
“Seven cases of SARS confirmed.”
“After I sent the message, the police found me and
made me sign an official letter of criticism.”,
Li said.
According to a photo of the letter included in Li’s
post, the police chastised him on Jan. 3 for “making untrue comments”
that had “severely disturbed the social order”.
“The police hope that you can actively cooperate with
us, heed our advice, and stop your illegal behavior. Can you do this?”
Li writes:
“Yes, I can.”
“We hope you can calm down and reflect on your
behavior. We solemnly warn you: If you keep being stubborn, with such
impertinence, and continue this illegal activity, you will be brought to
justice — is that understood?” Li answers, “Yes, I do.” His
signature and fingerprint appear at the bottom of the document.
On Jan. 1, the Wuhan police announced on Weibo that eight people had been summoned and punished for “spreading rumors” about the city’s pneumonia patients. After China’s state broadcaster reported on Jan. 9 that a new type of coronavirus was responsible for the unusual number of pneumonia cases, people began to question whether the “rumormongers” had been unjustly punished, prompting the Wuhan police to restrict viewing access to their Jan. 1 Weibo post.
On Jan. 1, the Wuhan police announced on Weibo that eight people had been summoned and punished for “spreading rumors” about the city’s pneumonia patients. After China’s state broadcaster reported on Jan. 9 that a new type of coronavirus was responsible for the unusual number of pneumonia cases, people began to question whether the “rumormongers” had been unjustly punished, prompting the Wuhan police to restrict viewing access to their Jan. 1 Weibo post.
On Tuesday, the Supreme People’s Court, the country’s
highest judicial authority, criticized the Wuhan police for reprimanding the
whistleblowers in an article published on the court’s official WeChat account.
The next day, the Wuhan police wrote on Weibo that the whistleblowers had only
been “educated
and criticized” and had not been “warned, fined, or taken into custody”.
A leading scientist from the National Health Commission weighed in on the case during a livestreamed interview that evening.
A leading scientist from the National Health Commission weighed in on the case during a livestreamed interview that evening.
“Those eight individuals are admirable,”
he said.
“Hindsight is 20-20, but these people had foresight.”
Li has received similarly strong support online, with
his posts garnering hundreds of thousands of likes and countless comments from
people expressing their gratitude.
“Doctor Li, you are a great doctor with a kind heart
and good conscience. I hope you’re at peace.”,
read the top comment under his Friday post.
