Senior Doctor in Wuhan Outbreak Dies from Coronavirus

Liu Zhiming is the eighth frontline health-care worker to die from COVID-19, and hundreds more have been infected.

Written byLisa Winter

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Neurosurgeon Liu Zhiming, who served as the director of Wuchang Hospital in Wuhan, died from COVID-19 earlier today (February 18) at age 51, China Daily reports. The hospital is one of seven within the region specified to treat patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 and Liu had been caring for them since the beginning of the outbreak in December.

“Unfortunately he became infected and passed away at 10:54 Tuesday morning after all-out efforts to save him failed,” the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission explains in a statement, according to news reports. Liu made “important contributions in the work of fighting and controlling” the virus.

Liu is the eighth frontline health-care worker to die from the virus during the current outbreak. Nurse Liu Fan, who also worked at Wuchang Hospital, died last week, and Li Wenliang, an ophthalmologist whose early warnings of the outbreak were silenced by government officials, died ...

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Meet the Author

Lisa Winter
Lisa joined The Scientist in 2017. As social media editor, some of her duties include creating content, managing interactions, and developing strategies for the brand’s social media presence. She also contributes to the News & Opinion section of the website. Lisa holds a degree in Biological Sciences with a concentration in genetics, cell, and developmental biology from Arizona State University and has worked in science communication since 2012.
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