Wuhan hospital director dies of coronavirus

Gallery

MORE...

Sports

U23 World Wrestling Championship: Chirag Chikkara wins gold as India end campaign with nine medals

The 18-year-old, Chirag Chikkara clinched a gold medal in the men’s freestyle 57kg categ

FIFA president Infantino confirms at least 9 African teams for the 2026 World Cup

Hockey, cricket, wrestling, badminton, squash axed from 2026 CWG in Glasgow

FIFA : Over 100 female footballers urge FIFA to reconsider partnership with Saudi oil giant

Ecuador ready to make history against Uruguay: Beccacece

Divanshi wins second gold as India sweep women's 25m standard pistol at Lima Junior Worlds

MORE...

Wuhan hospital director dies of coronavirus

Last Updated : 18 Feb 2020 04:49:21 PM IST

Wuhan hospital doctor Liu Zhiming dies of the deadly virus

Liu Zhiming, director of Wuchang hospital in Wuhan, the city at the centre of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, died of the disease on Tuesday, according to a statement released by local government authorities.

Earlier this month, Li Wenliang, a 34-year-old doctor in Wuhan who was sanctioned for attempting to bring the coronavirus to light, had died, Daily Mail reported.

Zhiming, a neurosurgeon, is the first hospital head to die of coronavirus infection. His death could renew criticism that the Chinese government has not done enough to protect frontline medical workers, many of whom are overworked and overstretched.

On Tuesday, the state media reported that doctors and nurses who die while trying to contain the outbreak will officially be designated as "martyrs".

Chinese health authority said it had received reports of 1,886 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection and 98 deaths as of Monday from 31 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.

Among the new deaths, 93 were in Hubei province, three in Henan, and one each in Hebei and Hunan, according to the National Health Commission, the Xinhua news agency reported.