The existence of Li's personal blog where he documented his discoveries was reported by the Italian newspaper La Stampa on 1 February.
Li was already in the spotlight in the Chinese media because he was thought to be one of the eight "rumor mongers" warned by Wuhan police.
However, according to some media, Wuhan police summoned eight "rumor mongers" on 1 January, while Li and Xie Linka, another doctor from Wuhan Union Hospital, were warned on 3 January, meaning that the latter two might not be part of the group.
Li later responded that he did not know whether he was one of the so-called "rumor mongers," but that he had been admonished for claiming a SARS outbreak, which at that time was unconfirmed.
The police punishment of Li for "rumor mongering" was aired on China Central Television, signalling central government endorsement for the reprimand, according to two reporters for the South China Morning Post.

On 4 February, the Chinese Supreme People's Court said that the eight Wuhan citizens should not have been punished as what they said was not entirely false.
It wrote on social media: "It might have been a fortunate thing if the public had believed the 'rumors' then and started to wear masks and carry out sanitization measures, and avoid the wild animal market."

Li told Caixin that he had been worried the hospital would punish him for "spreading rumors", but felt relieved after the top court publicly criticized the police. "
I think there should be more than one voice in a healthy society, and I don't approve of using public power for excessive interference," said Li.
The existence of Li's personal blog where he documented his discoveries was reported by the Italian newspaper La Stampa on 1 February. Li was already in the spotlight in the Chinese media because he was thought to be one of the eight "rumor mongers" warned by Wuhan police. However, according to some media, Wuhan police summoned eight "rumor mongers" on 1 January, while Li and Xie Linka, another doctor from Wuhan Union Hospital, were warned on 3 January, meaning that the latter two might not be part of the group. Li later responded that he did not know whether he was one of the so-called "rumor mongers," but that he had been admonished for claiming a SARS outbreak, which at that time was unconfirmed. The police punishment of Li for "rumor mongering" was aired on China Central Television, signalling central government endorsement for the reprimand, according to two reporters for the South China Morning Post.
On 4 February, the Chinese Supreme People's Court said that the eight Wuhan citizens should not have been punished as what they said was not entirely false. It wrote on social media: "It might have been a fortunate thing if the public had believed the 'rumors' then and started to wear masks and carry out sanitization measures, and avoid the wild animal market."
Li told Caixin that he had been worried the hospital would punish him for "spreading rumors", but felt relieved after the top court publicly criticized the police. "I think there should be more than one voice in a healthy society, and I don't approve of using public power for excessive interference," said Li.
Li Wenliang