Rage over whistleblower doc’s death

SHANGHAI/BEIJING, February 7

One of the first Chinese doctors who tried to warn the world about a new coronavirus died on Friday from the illness, prompting an outpouring of sorrow and rage on Chinese social media, as Beijing declared a "people's war" on the fast-spreading outbreak.

China's anti-graft watchdog has launched a probe into his death. Li Wenliang, 34, was an ophthalmologist at a hospital in Wuhan, was reprimanded by the police for spreading "rumours" about the coronavirus outbreak in China.

As of Thursday, 636 people have died due to the virus outbreak with the total number of confirmed cases jumping to 3,143,

China's ruling Communist Party has sent a high-level investigation team to the epidemic-hit Wuhan city in Central Hubei province to probe Li Wenliang's death on Thursday. The doctor died due to the very virus he desperately tried to highlight in December last year through social media and has become a national icon with millions of netizens expressing their grief and anger over the way he was treated.

His death is widely reported by the state-run media which had earlier shunned him.

A special team will head to Wuhan to investigate issues regarding Li, state-run People's Daily quoted China's top anti-corruption agency as saying on Friday.

The action has been approved by the central government and the team will have a comprehensive investigation into matters related to the deceased doctor, China's National Supervisory Commission said in a statement.

Li's death has been mourned by the National Health Commission.

The police reaction in stifling his warning of coronavirus which now has become a national and international disaster has evoked public resentment.

"After emergency treatment, Li Wenliang passed away. We deeply regret and mourn Li's death," the Central Hospital of Wuhan announced on Thursday. — Agencies

US offers $100 million to China, others

Washington: The US on Friday offered up to $100 million to China and other impacted countries to combat the fast-spreading coronavirus. “This commitment — along with the hundreds of millions generously donated by the American private sector —demonstrates strong US leadership in response to the outbreak,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said. “We encourage the rest of the world to match our commitment. Working together, we can have a profound impact to contain this growing threat,” he added. Pompeo said the US would provide the assistance either directly or through multilateral organisations. The aid pledge comes after Beijing criticised the US response to the health crisis, saying that Washington has been spreading “panic” by banning the entry of foreign nationals who travelled to China. But President Donald Trump on Friday praised China’s response as “very professional” after he spoke on telephone with his counterpart Xi Jinping. afp

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