Chinese Pharmacist Dies After 10 Straight Days Helping Fight Coronavirus

• A 28-year-old pharmacist, Song Yingjie, was reported dead in central China after 10 straight days of working to fight the new coronavirus epidemic.
• He was part of the medical team tasked by the local health authorities to check motorists’ temperature at the Hunan province checkpoint.
• Song’s death is bringing attention to the risk faced by doctors, nurses, and support staff who are working hard to contain the outbreak.

A 28-year-old pharmacist has been found dead in his dormitory in central China after working for 10 straight days to fight the new coronavirus epidemic in the Hunan province – the province directly south of the epicenter of the contagion.

Song Yingjie, a native of Hengshan county, was reported dead due to a heart attack after working without break since January 25, both as part of the medical team stationed at the Hunan province checkpoint and as a regular hospital pharmacist.

Colleagues tagged him as a “motivated and hardworking” member of the team who handled the infection screening for motorists. They also shared that he never complained while working nights at the checkpoint and still managing and distributing medical supplies at the hospital during daytime.

Reports also say he has been talking about visiting his sister in Hubei – the province at the heart of the coronavirus epidemic – when things finally settle down. Unfortunately, this will no longer happen because of his untimely death.

Colleagues were also devastated about Song’s passing. Yang Dan, one of his colleagues at the hospital said, “He was a valued member of the team and could have had a bright future.”

This is not the first time that a healthcare professional had died while working to contain the new coronavirus epidemic. Just this week, Zhang Hui, another health official had died of heart attack after helping with the infection screening for motorists. This increasing number is renewed with Song’s death, thus raising safety concerns for doctors, nurses, and medical staff anew.