17 Facts About Guan Yi

Guan Yi obtained his PhD in microbiology at the University of Hong Kong and is a professor of microbiology at his alma mater.

Guan Yi is the current director of the State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases University of Hong Kong.

In early 2017, Guan warned that the H7N9 influenza virus "poses the greatest threat to humanity than any other in the past 100 years".

Guan Yi received his MD degree from the Medical College of Nanchang University, his advanced medical degree from Peking Union Medical College, and his PhD from the University of Hong Kong.

Guan Yi has defined the role of domestic ducks in harboring and spreading influenza viruses and made major contributions in recognizing the emergence, evolutionary history and development of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic virus and revealed the genesis, infection source, evolutionary pathway and possible transmission route of the 2017 emerging H7N9 influenza virus.

Guan Yi has contributed to the identification of animal reservoirs for coronaviruses, leading a team to identify bats as a reservoir host for SARS-CoV and palm civets as an intermediate host for SARS-CoV.

Guan Yi has worked for various highly esteemed universities and hospitals over the years.

Guan Yi then moved to America between 1995 and 1997, where he completed his Ph.

Guan Yi then returned to University of Hong Kong: Hong Kong, HK, where he was employed from 1997 to 2000 as research assistant professor in the department of microbiology, then 2001 to 2013 as associate professor and senior lecturer in the department of microbiology, and from 2005 to 2011 as professor in the department of microbiology and finally from 2013 to 2016 he became the director of the Centre of Influenza Research.

Guan Yi currently hold the position of chair professor in emerging viral diseases 2015 to present day.

Guan Yi currently hold multiple high positions in highly esteemed health organizations across China.

Guan Yi has given expert comments on SARS-CoV-2 when interviewed by Caixin, warning that the coronavirus could be 10 times worse than the 2003 Sars outbreak.

The journalists reposted the information that Guan Yi's lab was once fined by the government in 2005.

Wang Duan, the Caixin journalist who interviewed Guan Yi, described such behavior as "personal attacks" and complained that no expert had so far come forward to refute what Guan said.

In what Bloomberg News called "a rare show of public criticism", Guan Yi criticised the Chinese government's zero COVID measures, telling Phoenix Hong Kong Channel that if the government persists with the policy for a handful of cases, then the economy will suffer.

Guan Yi has advocated for increased vaccination and research into the efficacy of homegrown vaccines against new variants.

In 2022, Guan Yi was accused of bullying by his former team member at the University of Hong Kong.