First us coronavirus doctor thinks its been circulating unchecked for weeks

You're referring to Dr. Li Wenliang, a Chinese ophthalmologist who was one of the first healthcare professionals to sound the alarm about the novel coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China.

On December 30, 2019, Dr. Li posted a warning on his social media account about a cluster of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause in Wuhan. He had been informed about the cases by a colleague who had seen patients with symptoms similar to SARS, a coronavirus that had caused a major outbreak in China in 2003.

Dr. Li's warning was initially met with skepticism by local health authorities, who told him to stop spreading rumors and that the situation was under control. However, Dr. Li continued to share information and updates about the outbreak with his colleagues and friends, and his warnings eventually gained traction.

On January 3, 2020, Dr. Li was summoned by the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission and told to retract his warning and apologize for "spreading rumors." However, by then, the outbreak had already spread beyond Wuhan, and the Chinese government had begun to take measures to contain it.

Tragically, Dr. Li himself contracted the virus while treating patients and died on February 7, 2020, at the age of 34. His death was widely mourned in China and around the world, and he was hailed as a hero for his bravery in speaking out about the outbreak despite the risks.

Dr. Li's story highlights the importance of transparency and early warning systems in public health crises. His warnings, although initially ignored, ultimately helped to raise awareness about the outbreak and prompt a more effective response from Chinese authorities.