Wuhan Hospital Director Confirmed Dead From Coronavirus

The director of the central hospital in Wuhan, which is the center of the outbreak, has died from virus-related pneumonia despite “all-out” rescue efforts to save him, reports The Associated Press.

The Wuchang Hospital director Liu Zhiming, aged 51, is the seventh medical worker to die from the virus. Currently, more than 1,716 medical workers have been infected by the virus and many are working under unacceptable conditions which raises some questions about their health and safety and highlights the risks they have to endure every day.

SEE ALSO: SMILING FACES OF MEDICAL STAFF IN WUHAN AFTER TREATING CORONAVIRUS PATIENTS FOR HOURS

Announcing his unfortunate death, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said Liu was one of the doctors who led the fight to try to contain coronavirus, dedicating the hospital which was running at maximum capacity to help cure thousands of patients.

R.I.P. Liu Zhiming, director of Wuchang Hospital in coronavirus epicenter #Wuhan passed away Tuesday due to #COVID19, becoming the first hospital director to die amid the outbreak that caused over 70,000 infections in #China: reports pic.twitter.com/J2qmDddARN

— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) February 18, 2020

According to Zeng Yixin, the deputy director of the National Health Commission, medical workers form 4% of the confirmed virus cases as of the end of February 11. 

It seems that the situation is extremely grim, and the Wuhan government has announced there is a shortage of necessary medical supplies, such as respiratory masks, goggles, and protective suits. Wuhan hospitals are pleading for help on social media, calling out for more donations of the protective gear. This is vitally important since, without the protective gear, the frontline staff is helpless against the spread of the virus.