Chinese Doctor’s Death Becomes A Rallying Cry For Scared And Angry Nation Being Held Hostage By Coronavirus
Li Wenliang was among the first doctors to warn about a possible outbreak of a pneumonia-like illness. Chinese officials punished him for speaking out, but it wasn't long before he was proven right. His death from the very virus he warned about has become a flashpoint for people in China who are frustrated with how their government is handling the crisis.
The New York Times:
A New Martyr Puts A Face On China’s Deepening Coronavirus Crisis
More than 700 people have died. Tens of thousands are infected. Millions are living under lockdown, and the government has sought to silence complaints. But what provoked an online revolt in China on Friday, the fiercest assault on the censors in almost a decade, began with the death of one man: the doctor who tried to warn others about the coronavirus. The deluge of mourning and anger at the death of the doctor, Li Wenliang — from the same virus he was reprimanded for mentioning — at times overwhelmed China’s sophisticated censorship and propaganda systems. (Buckley and Mozur, 2/7)
The Washington Post:
As Anger Explodes Over Doctor’s Death, Beijing Firm Gives Chinese Government Advice
When sorrow and rage erupted on China's Internet early Friday after the Wuhan "whistleblower doctor" Li Wenliang succumbed to the coronavirus, many political observers saw one of the biggest challenges to the Communist Party in years. In Beijing, Qi Zhongxiang saw an opportunity. Within 24 hours, Qi and his 150-person company, Womin Technology, quickly compiled a “public sentiment” report drawing on posts from more than 100 social media sources and submitted it, along with their recommendations, to the Communist Party’s central leadership. (Shih, 2/8)
The Wall Street Journal:
In China, Anger Simmers Over Coronavirus Doctor’s Death
Chinese online commenters have been calling on the Wuhan government to apologize to Dr. Li for having reprimanded him for sending warnings about the virus. Dr. Li himself contracted the virus, and as news of his declining health spread online Thursday evening, a hashtag calling on the Wuhan government to apologize to him spread quickly on China’s Twitter-like Weibo service. Public anger grew further after the hashtag appeared to be censored. (Cheng, 2/7)
The New York Times:
He Warned Of Coronavirus. Here’s What He Told Us Before He Died.
The doctor who was among the first to warn about the coronavirus outbreak in late December — only to be silenced by the police — died Friday after becoming infected with the virus, the hospital treating him reported. The death of the 34-year-old doctor, Li Wenliang, set off an outpouring of grief and anger on social media, with commenters on social media demanding an apology from the authorities to Dr. Li and his family. (2/7)
The Associated Press:
Doctor’s Death Highlights Dangers On Front Lines Of Outbreak
The death of a doctor who issued an early warning about the new virus in China represents a grim reminder that the first health care workers to recognize new outbreaks are sometimes among their earliest victims. Dr. Li Wenliang's death underlined the dangers health workers have faced in similar epidemics, including SARS and Ebola. (Cheng, 2/7)
