Jiang Yanyong, who exposed the SARS epidemic, dies at the age of 91

Chinese army doctor Jiang Yanyong ped away on Tuesday. Giving this information in a news published in a Hong Kong newspaper on Tuesday, it has been said that Jiang disclosed the 2003 SARS epidemic and was later placed under house arrest for political outspokenness. According to human rights activist Hu Jia and the ‘South China Morning Post’, Jiang was 91 and died of pneumonia on Saturday in Beijing. Jiang’s death and even his name are banned in China, which shows how politically sensitive he was towards the end of his life.

While the ruling Communist Party was suppressing news about the ‘Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome’ (SARS) epidemic in April 2003, Jiang, in an 800-word letter to the country’s health minister officially recorded the number of cases as real. The cases were said to be less than that. Jiang wrote emails to state broadcaster CCTV and the pro-China Phoenix Channel in Hong Kong, but both ignored them. Western media companies then leaked and published Jiang’s letter, which explained the extent to which the epidemic had spread and the cases being covered up.

Days later, a Finnish employee at the United Nations died of SARS. This was followed by the statements of the eminent physician Zhong Nanshan. Ultimately the Health Minister and the Mayor of Beijing had to resign. The administration implemented stringent containment measures overnight, which helped contain the spread of the virus. However, by then other countries had come under its grip. More than 8000 people from 29 countries got infected with SARS and at least 774 people died due to this epidemic. Afterwards, Jiang and his wife were placed under house arrest. “Patients were the first priority for Jiang,” Hu Jia, a human rights activist, told the AP. He did not think about the consequences of his letter but saved many lives.

Disclaimer:newsinfrance.com has not edited this news. This news has been published from PTI-language feed.

• share it
•