A Chinese doctor who warned about the coronavirus in December and was reprimanded by Chinese authorities for “spreading rumors” has been infected by the illness.
“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 on Weibo, a Chinese social media app.
Wuhan Central Hospital is ground zero for the epidemic, which has claimed the lives of more than 250 Chinese people and infected over 10,000.
In late December, Li and eight other doctors reported sick patients with symptoms that bore a striking resemblance to SARS. He then sent a message to other medical professionals on WeChat 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 recounted on Saturday.
Part of the document that Li was forced to sign as punishment read, “We solemnly warn you: If you keep being stubborn, with such impertinence, and continue this illegal activity, you will be brought to justice.”
U.S. airlines shuttered travel to and from China after the World Health Organization and the Trump administration both declared the outbreak a “public health emergency.” Sen. Tom Cotton called for an immediate travel ban with China and noted that Wuhan is “China’s only biosafety level four super laboratory that works with the world’s most deadly pathogens to include, yes, coronavirus.”
Depressing/infuriating read:
A doctor in Wuhan who was 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. https://t.co/jJ4Dbkzj2l pic.twitter.com/DGPmq1Nkv8
— David Paulk 波大卫 (@davidpaulk) February 1, 2020
