The Wuhan doctor who tried to warn other physicians about a possible SARS-like disease has died of the novel coronavirus, the Guardian reports.
Li Wenliang, an ophthalmologist who worked in Wuhan, used the social media platform WeChat in late December to alert his college classmates who were clinicians about a number of cases similar to SARS he'd become aware of, NPR says. But this caught the attention of local police, who reprimanded Li and made him sign a statement that he had published falsehoods, it adds. Li was one of eight whistleblowers who were rebuked, the Guardian notes.
Li then contracted the virus himself, Vice reports. Wuhan Central Hospital confirmed his death after initially denying it, according to the South China Morning Post. Li was 34, it adds. The South China Morning Post adds that news of Li's death led to mourning, tribute, and anger on Chinese social media sites.
According to the World Health Organization, there are 28,276 confirmed 2019-nCoV cases and 565 deaths due to the virus globally, as of earlier this week.