Coronavirus doctor's hands left bloodied after working round-the-clock

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Days after medics took to social media to share photos of sores and marks left on their face from safety gear, another doctor whose been working grueling shifts in a Wuhan hospital caring for coronavirus patients shared photos of his bloodied, raw hands.

Chen Jun, deputy director of the research department at Wuhan Pulmonary Hospital, which is located in the virus epicenter, said he’s been spending over 12 hours testing possible coronavirus cases in the lab each day, according to AsiaWire.

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As a result, his hands have been in tight protective gloves to protect him from contracting the pneumonia-like illness that’s sickened over 31,200 and killed at least 636. Chen’s now dealing with the painful ramifications of the long hours, including bloodied hands.

Dr. Chen Jun said his hands have been left irritated and raw by long hours spent in protective gloves. (AsiaWire)

“I cannot flinch, there are still so many people waiting for these results,” Jun told AsiaWire. “I have to stick it out.”

Chen said his injuries are not unlike other medics currently working around the clock to help the thousands of patients in Wuhan. About 99 percent of the coronavirus cases have occurred in mainland China, with the outbreak first reported in patients who had visited a Wuhan food market.

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Wuhan and surrounding cities in the Hubei Province have been on lockdown for several weeks as officials in China work to contain the viral spread. Government officials ordered a 1,000-bed hospital to be built in a little over a week, which has since opened and is housing patients.

On the ground, medics have made public pleas for more medical supplies and extra hands, but getting the materials to the city has proven difficult due to travel restrictions.

There have been several reports of medics wearing adult diapers out of fear of ripping their hazmat gear while taking it off to use the restroom.

On Thursday, Wuhan Central Hospital confirmed the death of 34-year-old Dr. Li Wenliang, the physician who was allegedly detained for warning others about the coronavirus before he himself contracted the illness.

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Li was “unfortunately infected during the fight against the pneumonia epidemic of the new coronavirus infection,” the hospital said. “We deeply regret and mourn this.”

An activist group hosted a memorial in Hong Kong for Li on Friday.