Xie Linka


Xie Linka is a Chinese doctor, known as one of the whistleblowers of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, China. She graduated with a PhD from the Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and is the attending physician of the Cancer Center at Wuhan Union Hospital.

Whistleblowing incident

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, on 30 December 2019, Xie Linka published a message in the WeChat group of the Cancer Center at Wuhan Union Hospital, where she works. She stated, "Don't visit Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in the near future. Right now, many people there have contacted unexplained pneumonia. Our hospital has treated many pneumonia patients from the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market today. Everyone, note to wear masks and respirators," and said that her source was "news posted in our alum group by a junior female from my hospital."
Around 3 January 2020, Xie received a call from the Wuhan Police, instructing her not to spread "false information". Xie later stated in an interview that “early warning” is part of a doctor's duty.