Head of Wuhan hospital who caught coronavirus is 'still having treatment' say health officials - after Chinese media reported he DIED

A Hubei health official has said the head of a Wuhan hospital is still being treated after media reported he had died of the novel coronavirus.

Dr Liu Zhiming from Wuchang Hospital is undergoing resuscitation after falling critically ill, according to the social media account of a director from Hubei Provincial Health Commission.

The conflicting reports resemble the coverage of the death of Dr Li Wenliang, who was punished for sounding the alarm over the coronavirus and lost his life to the disease earlier this month.

Dr Li's hospital denied reports of his death, only to declare his passing in the wee hours the next day.

The move caused an outpouring of fury from the public, who accused the hospital of covering up truth.

By last Friday, the novel coronavirus had killed six health workers and infected 1,700 medical staff in China, according to Beijing.

The virus, formally known as COVID-19, has so far claimed at least 1,775 lives and infected more than 71,440 globally.