Worried Chinese turn to online doctor consultations amid coronavirus outbreak

The Ping An Good Doctor app, an online healthcare platform operated by Ping An Healthcare and Technology Co Ltd, on a mobile phone. Online healthcare has long been seen as a promising sector in China, where there is a dearth of doctors and patients often have to travel hundreds of miles to see a specialist. — Reuters

BEIJING/SHANGHAI: Spooked by a sneeze or a cough, Chinese consumers are turning to online consultations in droves for advice about possible coronavirus symptoms – a boon for a fledgling industry that has struggled to win over customers.

Due to the epidemic, hundreds of millions of Chinese are stuck at home due to quarantine restrictions imposed by authorities or companies. Even if not under quarantine, many are too worried to venture for long outside or to visit a hospital for other ailments as they fear they might catch the highly contagious virus.