In the firing line: Initially, doctors in Hubei didn't know what they were looking at when they treated the coronavirus-infected lungs of elderly patients. They were seeing the early pathology of the COVID-19 disease. The price for the medical profession has been high.

"Just this week (Feb 28, 2020) it has been reported that 3,387 health workers in China have been infected with COVID-19, more than 90% of whom [are] in the stricken Hubei province. More than 15 doctors in Wuhan, including young, healthy individuals, have now died of COVID-19 infections contracted while they were taking care of patients.

The investigators point out that the time for the early lung lesions or COVID-19 to become severe enough to cause clinical symptoms is “rather long.” Even among patients who do present with fever, commonly used pharyngeal swab PCR tests may still be negative, they suggested, due to the lack of virus in the upper respiratory tract, and despite the presence of pneumonia. ...

More than 15 doctors in Wuhan, including young, healthy individuals, have now died of COVID-19 infections contracted while they were taking care of patients."

https://www.genengnews.com/news/coronavirus-early-pathology-examined-in-lung-tissue-of-symptomless-patients/