Li Wenliang

For the chess player, see Li Wenliang (chess player).
In this Chinese name, the family name is Li.

Li Wenliang
李文亮
Born(1985-10-12)12 October 1985[1]
Beizhen, Jinzhou, Liaoning, China
Died7 February 2020(2020-02-07) (aged 34)
Wuhan, Hubei, China
Cause of deathCOVID-19
Alma materWuhan University (MMed)
OccupationOphthalmologist
Years active2011–2020
Known forWarning people about COVID-19 before it became a pandemic
SpouseFu Xuejie[2](付雪洁)
Children2
Li Wenliang
Chinese李文亮
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinLǐ Wénliàng
IPA[lì wə̌n.liaŋ]
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutpinglei5 man4 loeng6

Li Wenliang (Chinese: 李文亮; 12 October 1985 – 7 February 2020) was a Chinese ophthalmologist who warned his colleagues about early COVID-19 infections in Wuhan.[3]

On 30 December 2019, Wuhan Centres for Disease Preventon and Control (Wuhan CDC) issued emergency warnings to local hospitals about a number of mysterious "pneumonia" cases discovered in the city in the previous week.[4] On the same day, Li, who worked at the Central Hospital of Wuhan, received an internal diagnostic report of a suspected severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patient from other doctors, which he in turn shared with his Wuhan University alumni through a WeChat group.

Li was dubbed a whistleblower when that shared report later circulated publicly, despite his messaging to his alumni WeChat group to not spread the message outside of the group with the exception to only "remind their family members and loved ones to be on the alert". Li did not appear to have intentions of warning the wider public.[5][6][7][8] Rumors of a deadly SARS outbreak subsequently spread on Chinese social media platforms; Wuhan police summoned and admonished him and seven other doctors on 3 January for "making false comments on the Internet about unconfirmed SARS outbreak."[5][9]

The outbreak was later confirmed not to be SARS, but rather a new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. Li returned to work and later contracted COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, from a patient who was not known to be infected. He died from the disease on 7 February 2020, at age 34.[10][11] A subsequent Chinese official inquiry exonerated him; Wuhan police formally apologized to his family and revoked his admonishment on 19 March.[12][13][14][15] In April 2020, Li was posthumously awarded the May Fourth Medal by the government.[16] By early June 2020, five more doctors from the Wuhan hospital had died from COVID-19.[17]

  1. ^ "Briefing on the investigation of the situation involving Dr Li Wenliang as reflected by the public (关于群众反映的涉及李文亮医生有关情况调查的通报)". National Supervisory Commission Investigation Team (国家监委调查组). 19 March 2020. Archived from the original on 15 May 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  2. ^ Lew, Linda (9 February 2020). "Coronavirus: mother of whistle-blower Li Wenliang demands answers for his treatment by Wuhan police". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  3. ^ "The Chinese doctor who tried to warn others about coronavirus". BBC News. 6 February 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  4. ^ "武汉疾控证实：当地现不明原因肺炎病人，发病数在统计". The Beijing News. The Beijing News Press. Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  5. ^ a b Tan, Jianxing (31 January 2020). 新冠肺炎"吹哨人"李文亮：真相最重要. Caixin (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 31 January 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  6. ^ "Who was Li Wenliang and how did he become a coronavirus 'hero'". South China Morning Post. 7 February 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  7. ^ 武汉肺炎：一个敢于公开疫情的"吹哨人"李文亮. BBC News 中文 (in Chinese). 4 February 2020. Archived from the original on 19 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  8. ^ "Q&A: Whistleblower Doctor Who Died Fighting Coronavirus Only Wanted People to 'Know the Truth' - Caixin Global". www.caixinglobal.com. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  9. ^ "Coronavirus 'kills Chinese whistleblower doctor'". BBC News. 6 February 2020. Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  10. ^ Zhou, Cissy (7 February 2020). "Coronavirus: Whistleblower Dr Li Wenliang confirmed dead of the disease at 34, after hours of chaotic messaging from hospital". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  11. ^ 武汉中心医院：李文亮经抢救无效去世 (in Chinese). Sina Corp. 7 February 2020. Archived from the original on 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  12. ^ "Chinese inquiry exonerates coronavirus whistleblower doctor". The Guardian. 21 March 2020. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  13. ^ "Virus whistleblower doctor punished 'inappropriately': Chinese probe". The Economic Times. 20 March 2020. Archived from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  14. ^ Ian Collier (20 March 2020). "Coronavirus: China apologises to family of doctor who died after warning about COVID-19". Sky News. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  15. ^ "武汉警方：撤销对李文亮医生的训诫书，向其家属郑重道歉". 上观新闻. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  16. ^ "李文亮、夏思思、彭银华等33人被追授中国青年五四奖章". 中国青年报. Archived from the original on 20 April 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  17. ^ Kuo, Lily (3 June 2020). "'Sacrificed': anger in China over death of Wuhan doctor from coronavirus". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 3 June 2020.