When the novel Coronavirus hit the city of Wuhan, which started in December last year, the frontlines are the nurses assisting the doctors to cure patients with nCov symptoms. The death toll stands at 600 since the outbreak, and the pandemic is continually spreading.
As the contagion rises, so is the lockdown on what is happening to the health workers in Chine becomes more unavailable.
During the start, news teams can relay what is exactly happening in China. But, recent clampdowns have deprived the world of news.
As more social media has been taking tabs on what is happening on the ground, they were shut down by government censors, especially those against the government's handling of the epidemic.
Anyone who has any knowledge of the virus is cordoned off or cracked down, in effect suppressing the information. Li Wenliang paid for it, by detention and then his life, as the first to warn the world of the coronavirus.
A nurse working in Hubei, who prefers to be called Yao, had tales to tell. In an interview with BBC, Yao said that she works in Xiangyang, and she is employed at a fever clinic with a primary role to check blood samples. This is an important task to check if the patients are positive for the coronavirus.
She originally planned to go to Guangzhou to spend new year with her family. However, this was abruptly halted when the outbreak began since all health workers were called to assist.
On her own volition, she decided to stay and help in Xiangyang despite doubts about doing it while leaving her family behind.
There had been concerns about how to keep uninfected, or having the right equipment or at worst with a raincoat to wear. More than enough supplies were given to the hospital and enough resources with companies giving more equipment.
But the lack of proper gear for the members of the staff is a problem, which is of great concern. It is not an easy task to do since the staff are in danger of getting infected themselves.
Once patients are checked, they are fearful of the outcome of what happens next. Staff should also deal with the mental state of a patient. The shifts are hammering everyone with 10-hours standing up. Many victims are coming in which means there is almost no rest for them.
When their shifts end, they are sweaty and cuts on their faces can be seen due to long hours of wearing a mask. Due to tiredness, many of them end up sleeping in chairs.
Fortunately, the selflessness of Yao and her companions have paid off. Most patients are healthy and safe for the moment.
In other places in China, other nurses and health professionals are taking extreme measures against the coronavirus. Some have shaved their head as to lessen spreading the disease.
Yao and her fellows were thanked for their services and some people have supplied food and other needs. She said that the government had a quick reaction to the crisis.
"In the West, you talk more about freedom or human rights, but right now in China, we're talking about the matter of life or death," Yao told BBC. "We're talking about whether you might see the sunrise tomorrow. So all people can do is to cooperate with the government and support the medical staff."
