NextSharkNextShark.com

Pharmacist, 28, Dies of Overwork Fighting Coronavirus for 10 DAYS STRAIGHT

Pharmacist, 28, Dies of Overwork Fighting Coronavirus for 10 DAYS STRAIGHT

February 5, 2020
SHARE
A young pharmacist deployed on the frontlines to help contain the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has reportedly died from being overworked.
Song Yingjie, 28, served as the deputy leader of the pharmaceutical group at a health center in Hengshan county in Hunan province, according to China Youth Daily.
Song Yingjie. Image via Publicity Department of Hengshan County Party Committee / Eastday
The young professional, who had worked at the center since April 2016, was stationed at a local expressway with the task of monitoring people’s temperatures and distributing medical supplies.
He reportedly began working on Jan. 25, the first day of the Lunar New Year and kept going for 10 full 24-hour days in a row.
Image via Publicity Department of Hengshan County Party Committee / Eastday
After finishing his shift on Feb. 3, Song returned to his dormitory to take a break.
Unfortunately, his colleagues discovered him lifeless shortly after, suspecting that he died of cardiac arrest as a result of being overworked.
Subscribe to
NextShark's Newsletter

A daily dose of Asian America's essential stories, in under 5 minutes.

Get our collection of Asian America's most essential stories to your inbox daily for free.

Unsure? Check out our Newsletter Archive.

A photo of Song (unidentified) with colleagues. Image via Publicity Department of Hengshan County Party Committee / Eastday
An investigation into the exact cause of Song’s death is underway.
Song’s sister, who is stranded in Wuhan which has currently been on lockdown for two weeks, describes her brother as “outstanding” and “thoughtful.”
“He always helped with housework at home and was regarded highly at work by his boss,” she said, according to The Paper via MailOnline.
“His passing is really devastated news to our family,” she continued.
Song’s father told the local news outlet: “My son worked [as a medic] on the highway. You asked me if I am scared… Now he died, I am heartbroken,” the man said.
Local officials are reportedly helping Song’s family in the aftermath.
Weibo users have since hailed him a hero:
“Heroes go all the way.”
“He’s leaving us so young.”
“Don’t let anyone [else] fall down.”
“This man will be remembered a hero. We will not forget your part in fighting this epidemic.”
“It must be hard working at the frontlines. These people give their everything. If only we could have more personnel reserves.”
MOST READ
    HAPPENING NOW
      Carl Samson

      Carl Samson is a Senior Editor for NextShark

      SHARE THIS ARTICLE:

      RELATED STORIES FROM NEXTSHARK

      Support
      NextShark's
      Journalism

      Many people might not know this, but NextShark is a small media startup that runs on no outside funding or loans, and with no paywalls or subscription fees, we rely on help from our community and readers like you.

      Everything you see today is built by Asians, for Asians to help amplify our voices globally and support each other. However, we still face many difficulties in our industry because of our commitment to accessible and informational Asian news coverage.

      We hope you consider making a contribution to NextShark so we can continue to provide you quality journalism that informs, educates, and inspires the Asian community. Even a $1 contribution goes a long way. Thank you for supporting NextShark and our community.

      © 2023 NextShark, Inc. All rights reserved.