Jiang Yanyong: Former military whistleblower who exposed 2003 Sars coverup dies at age 91

‘He just saw that he had a chance to save lives’

Jiang Yanyong died of pneumonia and other illnesses on Saturday, according to two of his friends (AP)

A military surgeon who exposed China’s cover up of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) epidemic in 2003 and was later placed under house arrest for his outspokenness on political matters has died at the age of 91.

Jiang Yanyong died of pneumonia and other illnesses on Saturday, according to two of his friends.

One was quoted as saying by local media that Jiang had contracted the virus in January.