The fifth anniversary of the first known COVID-19 death passed quietly in China on Saturday, January 11, with no official commemorations, reflecting the pandemic’s status as a taboo subject. On January 11, 2020, Wuhan health officials announced the death of a 61-year-old man from pneumonia linked to a novel virus, later identified as SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19. This marked the beginning of a global pandemic that has claimed over seven million lives and profoundly impacted life worldwide, including in China.
However, no official memorials were observed in China’s tightly controlled state media. The ruling Communist Party, which maintained strict control over public discourse during its “zero-COVID” policy, has avoided reflecting on those measures since abruptly abandoning them in late 2022.
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“Dr. Li, another year has gone by”
Social media also showed little awareness of the anniversary. According to a report by news agency AFP, a few videos on Douyin (the Chinese TikTok) mentioned the date but reiterated the official narrative. On Weibo, users commenting on Li Wenliang’s former account, with comments like, “Dr. Li, another year has gone by.” Li Wenliang is the whistleblower doctor who was investigated by police for spreading early information about the virus.
Similarly, the report said that there was minimal online commemoration in Hong Kong, where Beijing has suppressed dissent since imposing a national security law in 2020.
Unlike many other nations, China has not established significant memorials for pandemic victims. Little is known about the first fatality beyond his frequent visits to the Wuhan seafood market believed to be the outbreak’s origin.
Within days of his death, other countries reported their first cases, demonstrating the failure of initial containment efforts. China has faced criticism from Western governments for allegedly covering up the virus’s early transmission and obscuring its origins, accusations Beijing strongly denies, insisting on its decisive and transparent actions.
According to the WHO, China has officially reported nearly 100 million cases and 122,000 deaths, though the actual figures are likely much higher. In 2023, Beijing declared a “decisive victory” over COVID, calling its response a “miracle in human history.”
