Wuhan Hospital Doctor Mei Zhongming, Whistleblower Li Wenliang’s Colleague, Dies From Covid-19
Dr Li Wenliang, the Chinese doctor most recognisable as the whistleblower who first reported the virus, passed away from Covid-19 weeks ago.
His passing marked him a hero, and now, one of his co-workers has suffered a similar fate.
Whistleblower Doctor Who Revealed Severity Of Coronavirus Passes Away From Infection
On Tuesday (3 Mar), the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that Dr Mei Zhongming, an ophthalmologist, had passed away from a Covid-19 infection.
The 57-year-old is the third doctor from Wuhan Central Hospital to die from the virus.
Here is a list of other doctors from the hospital who have died from the virus:
- Ophthalmologist — Dr Li Wenliang, 34
- Head of thyroid and breast surgery — Dr Jiang Xueqing, 55
- Ophthalmologist — Dr Mei Zhongming, 57
Dr Mei had worked together with Dr Li, who initially warned the public about the severity of the novel coronavirus.
Doctor spent long hours caring for patients in Wuhan hospital
As the number of cases rapidly increased across the region, healthcare staff have been working overtime to treat thousands of patients.
Dr Mei himself spent long hours handling patients, which likely led to his infection.
The hospital expressed its condolences and lauded his 30 years of service in an announcement on WeChat.
Another doctor also died after overworking
Prior to Dr Mei’s death, head of thyroid and breast surgery Dr Jiang Xueqing passed away on Sunday (1 Mar).
While there’s little detail about his death, his colleague Li Hai told the People’s Daily that Dr Jiang had been treating patients “non-stop”.
The gruelling hours resulted in over-exhaustion, which led to his death.
Healthcare workers at high risk
According to SCMP, 13 healthcare workers have died from Covid-19 in China, with more than 3,000 testing positive for the virus.
A professor at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University believes the risk of infection is high for frontline workers.
He told the SCMP,
Those individuals who are working in hospital settings may be immunosuppressed because, frankly, they’re exhausted.
Appreciation for healthcare workers
As the number of cases worldwide continues to increase, healthcare workers are putting their lives on the line to save patients.
Their noble duty truly deserves our utmost appreciation.
MS News extends our condolences to the family of Dr Mei, Dr Jiang, and all the victims of the deadly virus.
Featured image from Twitter.
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