"Fighting to the Death, Even the Director... Chinese Medical Staff's 'Frontline Struggle'"

Li Wenyang, Yu Ziming, and Wang Ping Hospital Director Also in Critical Condition
Nurse's Family Dies After Working Without Protective Gear
China Officially Confirms 1,700 Medical Staff Infected with COVID-19
Working in Diapers Due to Fatigue Accumulation

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] As the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) continues to threaten the lives of Chinese medical staff one after another, emergency alarms have been triggered in quarantine efforts.

According to the Chinese state-run English newspaper Global Times on the 20th, Wang Ping, director of Wuhan No. 8 Hospital, was infected with COVID-19. Director Wang, who is also the deputy director of Wuhan Central Hospital, is currently receiving treatment at Jinyintan Hospital, where intensive care for COVID-19 is being conducted, but is reported to be in critical condition. Wang, a specialist in gastroenterology, is known to have been on the front lines since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

In China, it has been officially confirmed that seven medical staff have died from COVID-19 so far. Among them were Li Wenliang, who first alerted the public to the outbreak of COVID-19 in China, and Liu Zhiming, director of Wuchang Hospital, the first designated hospital for COVID-19.

Before Director Liu, Nurse Liu Pan of the same hospital also lost her life. Liu Pan was also infected with COVID-19, and it was revealed that four members of her family, including her parents and younger brother, died as well, causing a great shock to Chinese society. In particular, Nurse Liu was reported to have told acquaintances that she worked without protective clothing, which sparked controversy. She worked for 26 consecutive days, took a three-day leave, and was found to be infected with COVID-19 immediately after her leave, passing away within a week.

Due to the surge in workload, some medical staff have also died from overwork aside from COVID-19. On the 7th, Deputy Director Xu Hui of Nanjing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital reportedly died from overwork after working 18 consecutive days.

Chinese medical staff are already caring for patients under harsh conditions, skipping meals and wearing adult diapers due to the thick protective suits.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

The Chinese government has acknowledged that about 1,700 medical personnel have been infected with COVID-19. However, according to a report from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the actual number of infected persons is said to exceed 3,000. If medical staff are not properly protected, it is difficult to properly carry out treatment and quarantine efforts. As public criticism grew, Chinese President Xi Jinping instructed the day before, "To win the war against COVID-19, we must protect medical staff and pay attention to their health," and "Provide medical staff with necessary supplies and rest time."

As quarantine-related supplies became scarce, the Chinese government requested support from foreign countries such as the United States. China received 16 tons of support supplies including masks and protective equipment from the United States the day before. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the arrival of U.S. support supplies and also mentioned, "We hope the $100 million worth of supplies promised by the U.S. State Department will arrive soon."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.