Will Dr Wenliang’s case push China toward a great awakening?

Dr Li

Dr Li Wenliang, who alerted the world about the apparition of a SARS like coronavirus passed away at 34 years old. On December 30th he shared it on social media, January the 12th the Dr was hospitalized and it is only the 20th that the population was informed that there was indeed a deadly disease spreading in Wuhan.

Right after his announcement, back in January, the whistleblower was accused by the government of sharing fake news and severely disrupting social order. The Dr has been fighting frontline with his teammates until he was himself infected, leaving behind his pregnant wife.

The communist party’s responsability?

According to the CPC, instability is a top priority and it would have been threatened if the alarm was given earlier. The government has to show its legitimacy by reassuringthe population. However, the highly centralized government system, mass surveillance and control of its population has shown its limit. The virus could not be localized or contained.

The Chinese express their anger toward the government

Chinese are now criticizing the government’s censorship and restriction of the freedom of movement that supresses information. They are questioning the government’s transparency and ability to protect them. The topics « the Wuhan government owes doctor Li Wenliang an apology » and « we want free speech » briefly trended on Weibo late on Thursday, and was erased on Friday.

In Japan , a cruiseship ‘The Diamond princess’ has been immobilized with tourists on its board and placed in quarantine after several cases of the disease have been detected among the passengers. The number of infected have multiplied and some are asking for their government to rescue them.

Today, 30 countries have confirmed cases in the world , with 31000 people infected and more than 600 deaths.