A Chinese doctor who got in trouble with authorities in the communist country for sounding an early warning about the deadly coronavirus outbreak lay in critical condition with the illness Friday, a hospital reported.
"In the fight against the epidemic of the new coronavirus pneumonia, Li Wenliang, an ophthalmologist of our hospital, was unfortunately infected. He is currently in critical condition and we are trying our best to rescue him," Wuhan Central Hospital said in a social media post just after midnight amid conflicting reports about Li's fate.
Li was reportedly reprimanded by local police for "spreading rumors" about the illness in late December. The outbreak, centered in Wuhan, has now infected over 28,200 people globally and killed more than 560.