Story By: John Feng, Sub-Editor:  Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report

AsiaWire / Zhou Zongping

This video shows a hospital worker choking up as he sings happy birthday to his young daughter while standing outside his home to prevent infecting his wife and child with the deadly coronavirus.

The tear-jerking clip – seen five million times online in less than 24 hours – was captured in the home of Doctor Zhou Zongping on 18th February when his daughter turned six.

Doctor Zhou’s family lives in the city of Huangshi in the epidemic-hit central Chinese province of Hubei.

While not exposed to COVID-19 as a medic on the front line, Doctor Zhou’s work is chiefly as a media officer for Youse Hospital.

AsiaWire / Zhou Zongping

In the past two weeks, at the height of the novel coronavirus outbreak in Hubei’s provincial capital Wuhan, the medic has been home only once to wash his clothes.

On the occasion of his daughter’s sixth birthday, Doctor Zhou returned from the hospital dormitory but did not want to step into his home for fear of transmitting the coronavirus and infecting his family.

Video shared online shows the medic on the verge of tears while singing happy birthday to his girl, who finishes the song in English.

The touching video has caused an outpouring of encouragement for the medic and others like him who are separated from their families while handling with the ongoing viral outbreak.

Official figures show COVID-19 having so far claimed the lives of 2,236 people in mainland China and 11 others worldwide.

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