Wuhan doctor who warned about coronavirus honored on 2-year anniversary

The Chinese doctor who famously warned about the coronavirus and later died from the disease was honored by thousands of people on Thursday, the second anniversary of the day he blew the whistle on COVID-19’s presence in the country.

Li Weinlang was honored on Weibo, the Chinese social media app. On his personal page, users posted messages of thanks, sent candle emojis and wrote to the doctor, according to Reuters.

“Happy new year Dr. Li, we will remember you forever,” one user wrote.

Li, who was an ophthalmologist in Wuhan, where the coronavirus first emerged, died in February of 2020 after contracting COVID-19. He gained international fame on Dec. 30, 2019, when he warned about the virus via an online group chat with other doctors.

But he was later detained by Chinese police and only released after he signed papers admitting he committed an illegal act. A month after his death, China issued a rare apology for detaining the doctor and silencing him.

The world, and especially China, was rocked by Li’s death, and his supporters say people continue to grieve for him and what he stood for: freedom of speech and telling the truth even in the face of government censorship.

While thousands paid tribute to Li on his social media page Thursday, Li has also been honored by many Chinese year-round, with users sharing their everyday life with the late doctor.

On his personal page, some users offer the late doctor updates about random goings-on, explaining when they got vaccinated or telling him they had just quarreled with their mother.

Others simply write that they miss him.