Doctor Who Warned Of Coronavirus Outbreak Dies From Coronavirus

Source: Aleksandr Zubkov / Getty

Whistle Blowing Doctor Who Warned Of Outbreak Dies From Coronavirus

A doctor who warned of a Coronavirus outbreak is now dead and Chinese citizens are crying foul. Li Wenliang, 34, was an ophthalmologist in Wuhan, the epicenter of the virus outbreak, who warned fellow doctors in December about the emergence of a SARS-like illness, warning them to wear protective clothing to avoid infection, reports USA Today.

He was later arrested alongside seven others on charges of “spreading rumors” and forced to sign a document disavowing his statements and agreeing to quit speaking out.

Since then, it’s been clear that Dr. Wenliang was right and reports surfaced this week that he passed away from the virus himself. After at first staying mum on the doctor’s reported death, Wuhan Central Hospital, where he had worked, finally confirmed that he had died of the virus early Friday.

USA Today reports that the expressions of grief and support broke through the “Great Firewall” in communist-party ruled China that blocks access to certain websites and controls and censors views deemed inappropriate by Chinese authorities.

Angry citizens expressed outrage with two hashtags (#WeWantFreedomOfSpeech and #WuhanGovernmentOwesDr.LiWeliangAnApology)on the platform Weibo which is similar to Twitter. The hashtags and accompanying posts would later be deleted by China’s sensors.

The New York Times reports that WeWantFreedomOfSpeech had at least 2 million views and 5,500 posts before the censor crackdown.

SMH, what do YOU think about D. Li Wenliang’s death and China trying to censor the outrage about it?

What else is the government hiding?