57 Yr Old Wuhan Shrimp Seller Identified As Coronavirus ‘Patient Zero’

BEIJING: A 57-year-old female shrimp seller in China's Wuhan city, the originating point of the coronavirus pandemic, has been identified as one of the first victims of COVID-19, which has claimed nearly 28,000 lives around the world so far, according to media reports.

The coronavirus 'patient zero', who made a full recovery in January after month-long treatment, believes the Chinese government could have checked the spread of the disease had it acted sooner.

How it all happened

A report by the London-based Metro newspaper said that 57-year-old woman, named Wei Guixian, was selling shrimps at the Huanan Seafood Market on December 10 when she developed a cold. Believing she had the common flu, Wei went to a local clinic for treatment where she was given an injection, the Mirror UK reported. However, Wei continued to feel weak and visited Eleventh Hospital in Wuhan a day later. The feeling of lethargy persisted and Wei visited one of the biggest medical facilities in the region -- Wuhan Union Hospital -- on December 16.

At the Union Hospital, Wei was told her sickness was “ruthless” and that many from Huanan Market had visited the hospital with matching symptoms. At the end of December, Wei was quarantined when doctors related the emergence of the coronavirus with the seafood market, the Mirror quoted Chinese news outlet The Paper.

Wei regained her health in January. The COVID-19 'patient zero' believes she got the disease from a toilet she shared with meat sellers in the market. She said several vendors trading close to her also contracted the killer disease. The so-called "live market" has been closed indefinitely following the coronavirus outbreak. Though identified as 'patient zero', Wei may not be the first person to have contracted coronavirus in China, the report said.

Latest Reports

China has reported 45 new coronavirus cases including one locally transmitted case while the death toll due to COVID-19 reached 3,300 with five new fatalities, health officials said Sunday..The new domestically transmitted case was reported in Henan province on Saturday, the country's National Health Commission (NHC) said. The five new fatalities were all reported from the epicentre Hubei province, taking the death toll to 3,300, it said.

Globally, the death toll has stormed past 30,000 and officials in some countries say the worst still lies ahead.

Also Read: COVID-19 Updates: Cases in India Cross 1,000 Mark