EditorialDeath of virus doctor who told the truth must not be in vain

Those who silenced whistle-blower Li Wenliang when he warned of the killer coronavirus deserve to be punished for putting career interests ahead of public safety in a case that underlines the need for freedom of expression

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A man wearing mask attends a vigil for doctor Li Wenliang in Hong Kong. Photo: AP

Published: 9:53pm, 7 Feb 2020Updated: 11:37pm, 7 Feb 2020

Li Wenliang’s death at 34 early on Friday is more than a statistic in Beijing’s daily update of the toll of the new coronavirus.

What sets it apart is that he was a doctor in a Wuhan hospital who sounded an early alarm about the virus to colleagues in late December, only to be reprimanded by police along with other whistle-blowers for spreading rumours and inaccurate information. He soldiered on in the front line of the epidemic until he too became infected.

News of his death understandably triggered an outpouring of grief and anger on social media, amid claims of an official cover-up and negligence. More tellingly it was reported by state media, including People’s Daily and state news agency Xinhua, which would not normally cover the passing of an ordinary doctor amid so many deaths from the virus. The fact that they did so recognised devotion to duty. The continuing public backlash later prompted even more high-profile recognition with positive stories and commentaries.

The reaction has also resulted in the dispatch of a team from China’s highest anti-corruption agency to investigate issues of public interest in the matter. Hopefully, this will address people’s concerns and hold officials involved in Li’s case accountable for their actions.

His cruel fate holds a lesson for the authorities. At any sign of a crisis that could affect public sentiment, mainland officials tend to play things down, using the excuse of avoiding panic and social instability.