Chinese doctor who first reported about coronavirus outbreak was censored and now dead

The Chinese doctor who first an alarm regarding the coronavirus outbreak to his government is noe dead of the virus. His claims were dismissed at that time.

As per state run Global Times reported, Li Wenliang was the first who shared the suspicion of a Sars-like illness spreading in Wuhan and he died of late after he was infected by the coronavirus  

34-year-old Wenliang, an ophthalmologist at the Wuhan Central Hospital, first told his friends about a viral infection spreading through the district via private messages as early as December 30. He was the first to report about the virus way back in December last year when it first emerged in Wuhan, the provincial capital of China's central Hubei province.

He said to other doctors through an instant messaging app that seven patients admitted in his hospital were exhibiting Sars-like symptoms. The ophthalmologist said all seven patients had eaten animal meat from the same seafood market in Hubei.

Li explained that, according to a test he had seen, the illness was a coronavirus -- a large family of viruses that includes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) which led to 800 death in China and the world in 2003.

His message was meant to be a cautionary note for his medical school friends to take care of their loved ones. But within hours of Wenliang revealing the information, the chats spread like wildfire on Chinese social media.

His name was exposed to hundreds of citizens. "When I saw them circulating online, I realised that it was out of my control and I would probably be punished," Li was quoted as saying by CNN recently.

And that is exactly what happened.

On January 3, Chinese authorities summoned Li and seven other doctors and accused them of spreading rumours. A stern message calling for an end to rumour-mongering was broadcast across China.

"The police call on all netizens to not fabricate rumours, not spread rumours, not believe rumours," the message read.

Li had to sign an affidavit acknowledging his crime. He also had to promise that he will not engage in any such activities in the future.

The ophthalmologist returned to work soon. While treating a patient affected with coronavirus, the infection was also transmitted to Li. Over the coming days, he showed the same symptoms. By January 12, he was admitted to a hospital. His condition continued to deteriorate and he had to be shifted to the ICU.

It was not till January 20 that China would take stock of the spread of coronavirus and declare a national emergency. On the same day, Chinese President Xi Jinping said, "People's lives and health should be given top priority and the spread of the outbreak should be resolutely curbed."

Li's diagnosis of coronavirus was only confirmed on February 1. He died five days later.