Ophthalmologist Dr. Li Wenliang become somewhat of a folk hero in China as one of the 8 doctors who was disciplined by police after warning fellow doctors to wear protective clothing because of a new SARS virus.

He was then visited by policy and the Public Security Bureau where he was told to sign a letter where he was accused of “making false comments” that had “severely disturbed the social order”.

On the weekend, he revealed he had contracted the virus himself after testing negative a number of times.

“Today nucleic acid testing came back with a positive result, the dust has settled, finally diagnosed,” he said in a video that was widely watched.

State media is now reporting that the 34-year-old died today. He had a wife and five-year-old daughter. There are reports that his wife is sick as well.

What a tragedy.