FINAL FAREWELL
Heartbroken wife of Wuhan hospital boss who died of coronavirus wails and sobs as van takes his body for cremation
THE heartbroken wife of the hospital boss who died after contracting coronavirus was seen wailing and sobbing as his body was taken for cremation.
Footage has emerged of nurse Cai Liping chasing a van which was taking her husband's body from a hospital to a crematorium in Wuhan, at the epicentre of the outbreak.
Read our coronavirus live blog for all the latest news and updates
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Earlier this week, Wuhan health officials announced that Dr Liu Zhiming had died after contracting the deadly disease.
Dr Liu was the first Chinese hospital leader who has lost his life to the virus, which has killed more than 2,100 people.
The former director of Wuhan Wuchang Hospital was working in a neighbourhood clinic at the epicentre of the outbreak when he contracted the virus.
He had just celebrated his birthday a week before his death and reportedly refused to let his wife look after him during his treatment in fear that she would contract the virus.
The pair were reportedly separated for nearly a month prior to his death.
Footage that has since been shared online showed his family, friends and colleagues outside the Zhongfa Xincheng branch of Wuhan Tongji Hospital on Tuesday afternoon.
One mourner, understood to be Dr Liu's wife, is dressed in a hazmat suit can be seen wailing and running after the van.
A video trending on Chinese social media shows one hazmat-clad mourner, reported to be Dr Liu's wife, crying out loud and running after a van.
The van was making its way to Yusunshan Crematorium.
Wuhan Municipal Health Commission released a statement, saying: "Since the epidemic started, comrade Liu Zhiming put aside his personal safety"
The doctor "led all medical workers at Wuchang Hospital to fight on the counter-epidemic front line and made important contributions in the work of fighting and controlling novel coronavirus."
The commission said the fight against the virus is at "a critical juncture".
"We hope the city's many medical workers can unite as one to rise up to the challenges and fight heroically, to resolutely win the battle of epidemic prevention and control."
MEDICS ON THE FRONT LINE
Doctors in China have spoken out about their struggle on the front line in the battle against coronavirus and being attacked by panicked patients.
Exhausted medics in Wuhan "working non-stop" to treat victims have said they are being are being pushed to breaking point.
One doctor at a Wuhan hospital said he hasn't been home in two weeks and irate patients in massive queues had threatened him.
He said during a recent midnight shift that 150 people lined up at the outpatient clinic where he works.
Two doctors at Wuhan Fourth Hospital were beaten up by a family member of a patient, while one had their protective suit ripped off inside the infected zone, Beijing Youth Daily reported.
Other clips show exhausted medics breaking down in tears after days working without sleep.
Doctors are also wearing diapers because they either don't have time to use the toilet or fear ripping off their hazmat suits when supplies are so low,
Authorities have previously tried to keep the outbreak under wraps.
One Chinese doctor tried to warn the world about coronavirus but was sent a chilling letter by the police before he died.
Doctor Li Wenlaing, 34, was told by cops 'if he refused to repent he would be punished' and was warned for 'spreading untruthful information online'.
Tragically, Dr Wenlaing died after contracting the virus through patients he was treating.
What is coronavirus?
Coronavirus is an airborne virus, spread in a similar way to colds and the flu.
The virus attacks the respiratory system, causing lung lesions.
Symptoms include a runny nose, headache, cough and fever, shortness of breath, chills and body aches.
It is incredibly contagious and is spread through contact with anything the virus is on as well as infected breath, coughs or sneezes.
Symptoms include a runny nose, headache, cough and fever, shortness of breath, chills and body aches.
In most cases, you won't know whether you have a coronavirus or a different cold-causing virus, such as rhinovirus.
But if a coronavirus infection spreads to the lower respiratory tract (your windpipe and your lungs), it can cause pneumonia, especially in older people, people with heart disease or people with weakened immune systems.
There is no vaccine for coronavirus.
In 2003 an outbreak of a similar virus, SARS, infected more than 8,000 people in 37 countries before it was brought under control, killing 800 of those worldwide.
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