The coronavirus crisis in China has extended as the number of people infected by the virus hits 31,000 and the doctor who issued an early warning about the outbreak died from the virus on Friday.
According to reports, more than 630 people have died by the virus that ophthalmologist Li Wenliang and his colleagues had first brought to light in late December.
The disease has since spread across China, forcing the government to lock down cities with of tens of millions of people. Global panic has also risen in wake of the disease as more than 240 cases have emerged in two dozen countries.
Li, 34, died early Friday, Wuhan Central Hospital said in a post on China’s Twitter-like Weibo platform. The news triggered grief on social media and the doctor was hailed a hero for his services in his field.
Earlier on December 30, Li had sent out a message about the new coronavirus to colleagues in Wuhan, the central city where the virus was born but was later called by police for spreading rumors. He later contracted the disease while treating a patient.
State-run newspaper Global Times and state broadcaster CCTV first reported on Weibo that Li had died late Thursday, only to delete their posts after the death rapidly surged to be among the top topics on the popular platform.
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