Wuhan Central Hospital in China has announced the death of a Chinese doctor, Li Wenliang who tried to issue the first warning about the deadly coronavirus outbreak.
According to a statement by the hospital, Li Wenliang who was working at Wuhan Central Hospital died of the virus in the early hours of Friday morning.
However, his time of death was surrounded by series of conflicting statements from the hospital and Chinese state media outlets.
Li was among a number of supposed “rumormongers” detained in December for spreading news about the virus.
He had warned about a potential “SARS-like” virus spreading in Wuhan, China but his information was downplayed by Chinese officials until the outbreak became a risk to the lives of people.
Earlier on Thursday night, several state media outlets had reported Li’s death, following which Chinese social media erupted in mourning.
Hours of confusion followed, with Wuhan Central Hospital releasing a statement saying Li was still alive and in critical condition, adding that they were “making attempts to resuscitate him.”
State media subsequently deleted their previous tweets, only for the hospital to then confirm his death.
In December, Li posted in his medical school alumni group on the Chinese messaging app WeChat that seven patients from a local seafood market had been diagnosed with a SARS-like illness and were quarantined in his hospital in Wuhan.
So far, the virus has spread to over 10 countries with more than 28,000 people infected and over 560 people dead.
