He was among the 8 doctor who had tried to alert authorities in December.
Published: Thu 6 Feb 2020, 7:12 PM
Updated: Fri 7 Feb 2020, 8:18 AM
One of the doctors, who had tried to warn authorities about the deadly novel coronavirus in Decemeber, has died, Chinese media reported on Thursday.
Li Wenliang was one of the eight doctors who tried to alert Chinese authorities about the coronavirus when it was first emerging in Wuhan in Decemeber, but was reprimanded by local police for causing panic.
Also read: Death toll rises to 563 in China
The 34-year-old was an ophthalmologist at the Wuhan Central Hospital. He was found to be infected with coronavirus on Saturday and died on Thursday.
"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," said Michael Ryan, director of the World Health Organisation's health emergencies programme, during a briefing on Thursday.
On December 30, Li had warned his school classmates in a chat group that a Sars-like disease had been diagnosed in many patients in Wuhan, and they were all quarantined, reported local media.
However, eight doctors, including the late Wenliang was summoned by the local police, who asked them to sign a letter vowing not to make any more disclosures.
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