As the spiraling crisis emerged, he came to be known as the whistleblower of a virus that ultimately took his life. Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter by clicking on this link , and please send any tips, leads, and stories to virus time.
And yet Li was not dissuaded. He shared his ordeal online and carried out interviews with journalists through text message, conveying a picture of incompetence and mishandling of the virus at the crucial, initial stage of the outbreak. His insistence on speaking out defied a political system that does not tolerate dissent.
And in January, Li himself succumbed. He was reportedly diagnosed with the coronavirus after treating an infected glaucoma patient. At least people within China have died, including now, Li himself. His condition deteriorated and he was pulled off life support in the early hours of Friday , according to the hospital where he worked.
Many started stocking up on surgical masks and wearing other protective gear at work because of his warning. The mayor of Wuhan later admitted to mishandling the crisis , and not releasing information quickly enough.
On Jan. On his Weibo page, Li said he was hospitalized on Jan. He was later moved to the intensive care unit. On Feb. Most of the messages expressed sorrow at his passing, but some struck a tone of anger toward the way the doctor had been treated. Li and said he was making up rumors… will they apologize to him now? Before the coronavirus outbreak, Li was relatively unknown even within his hospital, according to local media reports.
