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China probes virus alarm doctor death, cruise ships shunned China’s Communist Party faces recriminations over virus
(about 3 hours later)
BEIJING — China’s top Communist Party investigators are looking into “relevant issues raised by the public” about a whistleblower doctor who was threatened by police after publicizing his concerns about the new virus and has now died from it. The party’s announcement Friday came as the death toll in mainland China rose to at least 636. The outbreak has now infected more than 31,400 people worldwide. BEIJING — China’s ruling Communist Party faced public anger and recrimination Friday over the death of a doctor who was threatened by police after trying to sound the alarm about the new coronavirus back in December. The death toll, meanwhile, rose to nearly 640, and the number of people infected worldwide climbed past 31,400.
Cruise ship passengers faced more woe as Japan reported 41 new cases on a quarantined ship and turned away another. Cruise ship passengers faced more woe as Japan reported 41 new cases on one quarantined vessel and turned away another. President Xi Jinping spoke with President Donald Trump and urged the U.S. to “respond reasonably” to the outbreak, echoing complaints that some countries are overreacting by restricting Chinese travelers.
President Xi Jinping spoke by phone with President Donald Trump, who said the U.S. was working closely with China to help. Xi urged the U.S. to “respond reasonably” to the outbreak, echoing complaints that some countries are overreacting by restricting Chinese travelers. Those complaints come even while China keeps around 50 million residents of the hardest-hit city of Wuhan and surrounding areas under indefinite quarantine.
A look at the latest developments:A look at the latest developments:
TREATMENT OF WHISTLEBLOWER DOCTOR INVESTIGATEDTREATMENT OF WHISTLEBLOWER DOCTOR INVESTIGATED
Following an online uproar over the government’s treatment of Dr. Li Wenliang, the ruling Communist Party said it was sending an investigation team to “fully investigate relevant issues raised by the public” regarding the case. Following an online uproar over the government’s treatment of Dr. Li Wenliang, the Communist Party struck a conciliatory note, saying it is sending a team to “fully investigate relevant issues raised by the public.”
Li, 34, was one of eight medical professionals in Wuhan who tried to warn colleagues and others when the government did not. He wrote on his Weibo microblog account that on Dec. 3 he saw a test sample that indicated the presence of a coronavirus similar to SARS, which killed nearly 800 people in a 2002-2003 outbreak. Li, a 34year-old ophthalmologist, was one of eight medical professionals in Wuhan who tried to warn colleagues and others when the government did not. He wrote on his Weibo account that on Dec. 30 he saw a test sample that indicated the presence of a coronavirus similar to SARS, which killed nearly 800 people in a 2002-03 outbreak.
Li wrote that after he reported seven patients had contracted the virus, he was visited on Jan. 3 by police, who forced him to sign a statement admitting to having spread falsehoods and warning him of punishment if he continued. Li said that after he reported seven patients had contracted the virus, he was visited on Jan. 3 by police, who forced him to sign a statement admitting to having spread falsehoods and warning him of punishment if he continued. He fell ill with the disease while treating patients, and his death was confirmed early Friday.
Li wrote that he developed a cough on Jan. 10, fever on Jan. 11 and was hospitalized on Jan. 12, after which he began having trouble breathing. His death was confirmed early Friday, prompting a deluge of messages of mourning and outrage at the way he and the seven others were treated. Even the staunchly pro-government Global Times newspaper noted the eight whistleblowers’ treatment “was evidence of local authorities’ incompetence to tackle a contagious and deadly virus.” Even the staunchly pro-government Global Times newspaper said the whistleblowers’ treatment “was evidence of local authorities’ incompetence to tackle a contagious and deadly virus.”
Most of the deaths from the virus have been of older people with existing health problems, but disease specialists said Li’s work may have increased his exposure and made his illness severe. The episode has raised longstanding complaints that party officials lie about or cover up disease outbreaks, chemical spills, dangerous consumer products or financial frauds. Chinese citizens can be jailed on charges of rumor-mongering or making trouble.
“It’s generally believed that an increased dose of a virus or pathogen in some persons can cause increased severity of disease,” said Dr. David Heymann, a professor of infectious diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Most of the deaths from the virus have been of older people with existing health problems, but disease specialists said Li’s work — eye doctors sit very close to their patients during examinations — may have subjected him to an extra large dose of the virus that made his illness more severe.
Paul Hunter, a professor of health protection at the University of East Anglia, noted that opthamologists sit very close to their patients during examinations. “One would expect that an opthamologist would be exposed to a much higher dose of the virus if he was treating a patient who was actually infected,” he said. ”It’s plausible his death was a dose-related issue, but we don’t know for certain.”
CRUISE SHIP WOESCRUISE SHIP WOES
Japan confirmed 41 new cases of the virus on the quarantined Diamond Princess, adding to 20 escorted off the ship earlier. The nearly 3,700 passengers and crew still on board remain under 14-day quarantines. Japan confirmed 41 new cases of the virus on the quarantined Diamond Princess, adding to 20 escorted off the ship earlier. The nearly 3,700 passengers and crew still on board remain under 14-day quarantine.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said foreign passengers on another ship, Holland America’s Westerdam, won’t be allowed into Japan. He said suspected virus patients were on board, but the Seattle-based operator denied anyone had virus. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said foreign passengers on another ship, Holland America’s Westerdam, won’t be allowed into Japan. He said suspected virus patients were on board. The ship, with more than 2,000 people, was near Okinawa and was seeking another port, said Overseas Travel Agency official Mie Matsubara.
The ship with more than 2,000 people was currently near Ishigaki, one of Okinawa’s outer islands, and was seeking another port, said Overseas Travel Agency official Mie Matsubara. “We are getting desperate,” she said. “We hope we can go somewhere so that passengers can land.”
“Everyone is starting to reject the ship and we are getting desperate,” she said. “We hope we can go somewhere so that passengers can land.”
At least four other cruise ships, two foreign and two Japanese-operated, are headed to Japan by the end of the month, Transport Minister Kazuyoshi Akaba said, urging port authorities around the country to turn them away.
XI, TRUMP TALK VIRUS RESPONSE, TRADEXI, TRUMP TALK VIRUS RESPONSE, TRADE
China’s state media said President Xi Jinping urged the U.S. to “respond reasonably” to the virus outbreak in a phone call with President Donald Trump. China’s state media quoted Xi as saying China has launched “a people’s war against the virus.”
“A people’s war against the virus has been launched,” Xi was quoted as saying by broadcaster CCTV, using timeworn communist terminology. “We hope the U.S. side can assess the epidemic in a calm manner and adopt and adjust its response measures in a reasonable way.” “We hope the U.S. side can assess the epidemic in a calm manner and adopt and adjust its response measures in a reasonable way,” he added. Beijing has complained that the U.S. is flying its citizens out of Wuhan but not providing any assistance to China.
Beijing has complained that the U.S. was flying its citizens out of Wuhan but not providing any assistance to China. Trump tweeted that “great discipline is taking place in China” and Xi is leading strongly in the fight against the virus.
Trump later tweeted that “great discipline is taking place in China” and Xi was leading strongly in the fight against the virus. All but one the deaths in the outbreak have been in China. China’s National Health Commission said about 4,800 of those being treated, or nearly 17 percent, are in serious condition. The vast majority of the infected are in China; roughly 290 others are in about two dozen other countries, including Japan, Thailand, Singapore and South Korea.
Xi said China has “made the most comprehensive and strict measures of prevention and control” and the efforts are “gradually yielding positive results.” The U.S. has reported 12 cases.
WUHAN RESIDENTS SAY GETTING HELP NOT EASYWUHAN RESIDENTS SAY GETTING HELP NOT EASY
Wuhan has added thousands of treatment beds by building two new hospitals and converting gymnasiums and other spaces into places where patients can be housed in isolation. Thousands of military and civilian medical workers have been sent to the city. Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, has added thousands of beds by building two new hospitals and converting gyms and other spaces into places where patients can be held in isolation. Thousands of military and civilian medical workers have been sent in.
Still, those inside the quarantine area speak of a medical system completely overwhelmed. Still, those inside the quarantine zone of some 50 million residents speak of a medical system completely overwhelmed.
Chen Jiaxin, 22, told The Associated Press by phone from Wuhan that his father fell ill on Jan. 28 but had to return home because no hospital would accept him. When he called for an ambulance after his father’s fever spiked on Thursday morning, Chen said he was told 400 people were waiting ahead of him. Chen Jiaxin, 22, said by telephone from Wuhan that his father fell ill on Jan. 28 but had to return home because no hospital would accept him. When he called for an ambulance after his father’s fever spiked on Thursday, Chen said, he was told 400 people were ahead of him and “we were just told to wait and wait.”
“We were just told to wait and wait,” he said. Mother-of-two Rong Qin, 32, said that her 67-year-old father is feeling sick and is awaiting test results, but that she was told by local officials that even those with a positive diagnosis have to wait for beds.
Mother-of-two Rong Qin, 32, said she was told by local officials that even those with a positive diagnosis have to wait for beds.
“As far as I know, there have already been many people queuing up for help,” said Rong, whose 67-year-old father has been feeling unwell and is awaiting his test results.
“What I am hoping now is to put my father in a public quarantine facility so that he doesn’t pass the infection on to other family members,” she said.“What I am hoping now is to put my father in a public quarantine facility so that he doesn’t pass the infection on to other family members,” she said.
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Yamaguchi reported from Tokyo. Associated Press writer Foster Klug in Yokohama, Japan, contributed to this report.Yamaguchi reported from Tokyo. Associated Press writer Foster Klug in Yokohama, Japan, contributed to this report.
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.