China’s chief epidemiologist Wu Zunyou who helped drive the anti-COVID fight dies at age 60

BEIJING (AP) — Wu Zunyou, an epidemiologist who helped drive anti-COVID-19 measures in China that suspended access to cities and confined millions to their homes has died on Friday. He was 60.

An announcement from China’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention about Wu’s death gave no cause, but said that “rescue measures failed.”

The news of Wu’s death came just hours after the death of former Premier Li Keqiang was announced. Li was the country’s No. 2 leader during the pandemic.

Wu was the chief epidemiologist of China’s CDC and one of the public faces of the country’s zero-COVID measures that suspended international travel, imposed draconian lockdowns and prompted protests at the end of 2022.