Editor's note: This translation has been deleted.
Introduction
On February 18th, The Lancet published an obituary mourning the death of Dr. Li Wenliang. Perhaps Dr. Li Wenliang himself did not expect to be featured in a top medical journal in this way.
But as the article states: "Rising doctors and nurses should remember Dr. Li Wenliang's name for doing the right and brave thing for his community and the world, and should be encouraged to do the same if they are ever in a moment to make that kind of difference in the world."
Take care, everyone.
Li Wenliang was an ophthalmologist who warned the public about the outbreak of COVID-19. He was born on October 12, 1986, in Beizhen, China, and passed away on February 7, 2020, in Wuhan, China, at the age of 33, after being infected with SARS-CoV-2.
On December 30, 2019, Li Wenliang sent a message to his doctor colleagues, warning them of a disease similar to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) that may have broken out in the city of Wuhan. Although it was intended as a private message, he alerted his colleagues to take precautions and protect themselves from infection. A few days later, he was summoned by the Wuhan Public Security Bureau and signed a statement accusing him of spreading false information and disrupting public order.
In fact, Dr. Li Wenliang was one of the first to recognize the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan. The disease has now spread to 25 countries, causing 1,669 deaths and infecting over 51,800 people as of February 16, 2020. After signing the admonishment letter, Dr. Li returned to work and, as it became evident, contracted Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from a patient. His death caused a huge uproar in China, with citizens expressing gratitude on message boards for Mr. Li's dedicated medical service on the front lines and criticizing the initial response of the Wuhan Public Security Bureau and local health commission officials to his "whistleblowing." A few days before his death, Dr. Li told The New York Times in an interview, "There should be more openness and transparency in dealing with the epidemic."
Li Wenliang studied clinical medicine at Wuhan University and later worked in Xiamen. In 2014, he became an ophthalmologist at Wuhan Central Hospital, one of the medical institutions at the center of the COVID-19 outbreak. After seeing seven patients with symptoms similar to SARS, Li Wenliang issued a warning. Upon learning that these patients were quarantined, Li Wenliang reported the suspected epidemic to his colleagues in an internal WeChat group chat.
"The world's most important early warning system for the outbreak of a deadly new infectious disease is doctors or nurses recognizing that a new disease is emerging and sounding the alarm," said Tom Inglesby, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. "But even in the best of circumstances, it takes wisdom and courage to stand up and say something like this."
According to Chinese media reports, Dr. Li was one of eight individuals in Wuhan who were identified as "rumor mongers." In a video, he claimed that he was asked to sign a letter of admonishment, which demanded that he stop his illegal activities or face legal consequences. However, Dr. Li decided to speak out about his experience because "I believe a healthy society should not only have one voice," he told Caixin. In China, the public and some government officials supported Dr. Li's statement. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission, China's highest anti-corruption agency, announced that they would investigate Dr. Li's death. After Dr. Li's death, the Wuhan government and the National Health Commission issued statements expressing condolences to his family. Dr. Li's death highlighted the impact of COVID-19 on Chinese healthcare workers. On February 14, 2020, the Chinese government announced that 1,716 medical staff had been infected with COVID-19, resulting in the deaths of six individuals.
"I deeply mourn every healthcare worker who died in the fight against this sudden epidemic, especially Dr. Li Wenliang, who, as one of the whistleblowers, dedicated his young life to the front line," said Qiao Jie, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and president of Beijing Third Hospital, in an interview with The Lancet. Dr. Qiao is also a frontline worker in Wuhan. Dr. Li's parents were also infected with SARS-CoV-2, but they have since recovered. In a video posted on social media, Dr. Li's mother said, "We are deeply inspired by his dedication to his patients, and we will continue to fight the virus until we achieve victory to comfort those who have sacrificed during this process." Dr. Li's son and his pregnant wife also survived the illness. "Future doctors and nurses should remember the name of Dr. Li Wenliang because he dared to do the right thing and the brave thing for his community and the world. If they have the opportunity to be in a moment that can bring about change in the world, future doctors and nurses should be encouraged to do the same as Dr. Li Wenliang," said Inglesby.
Author: Andrew Green
Translation: Xu Huandi, Mu Yanhan, Xiao Feng, Liao Mu
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