Chinese internet users pay tribute to Wuhan doctor Li Wenliang on second anniversary of Covid-19 warning
- Weibo users honour memory of doctor who was punished for warning classmates about the disease that later killed him
- The medic’s death prompted a public outcry and now his social media account has become a place for people to share thoughts they cannot express elsewhere
On December 30, 2019, Li, who worked as an ophthalmologist at the Wuhan Central Hospital, posted a message on a WeChat group warning his classmates from medical school about an outbreak of undiagnosed pneumonia at his hospital.
12 months on, many patients in Wuhan find their Covid-19 symptoms persist
A screenshot of his post was leaked and circulated online on December 31, a day before the local health authority made an official announcement saying that 27 cases of viral pneumonia of an unknown cause had been detected.
On January 1, Wuhan police said they were punishing eight people for “spreading rumours”, including Li.
Currently, there are more than a million comments on his Weibo account, with many people posting messages on Thursday that read: “Happy New Year, Dr Li.”
“When the pandemic erupted, I had just become pregnant, now my daughter is 16 months old,” another said. “I don’t find living enjoyable and easy, but we must live on anyway. We don’t know each other, but I needed a ‘tree hole’ to talk into.”
“In any society there needs to be a place that lets people express themselves anonymously, especially in today’s China, as the space for public discourse has been compressed. In the face of online violence and pressure from snitching, many people are afraid to speak out publicly.”
He said some commentators are using Li’s Weibo to express their hopes for greater transparency, but most of those commenting have gone beyond the pandemic and are simply looking for a place where they can express their emotions in an oppressive environment.
China still maintains a zero-covid policy, stifling each virus outbreak with a policy of strict quarantine and mass testing.
On Thursday, the country reported 207 new cases, including 155 in Xian and 51 imported cases.