Singer Jane Zhang apologises after saying she got Covid-19 on purpose

Lim Ruey Yan
The Straits Times
December 20, 2022

Chinese singer Jane Zhang has apologised for claiming that she had contracted Covid-19 intentionally.

The 38-year-old asked on Weibo last Friday afternoon whether she was considered to have contracted Covid-19 after she had tested positive for only one day.

Zhang, a second runner-up in the 2005 season of China’s Super Girl talent contest, then shared her experience in the comment section of her post.

“I was concerned that my condition during the New Year’s Eve performance would be affected, so I met a group of people who have tested positive since I currently have time to recover from the virus,” she wrote.

She added that she went to sleep after she began to have symptoms such as fever, sore throat and body aches.

“My symptoms disappeared after I slept for one day and one night,” she said. “My eczema was better, my skin was no longer dry and I have lost weight.”

Her experience was slammed by many Chinese netizens as China is facing a Covid-19 surge after lifting many of its restrictions. Some netizens said she was “adding to the burden of the medical staff”.

Zhang deleted the comment later and apologised in another post.

“I was nervous and worried recently, after many people around me were infected while I remained negative,” she said.

“The nature of my job means that I have to come into contact with many people, and my concern is that my subsequent infection may raise their risk of reinfection.”

She added: “I apologise sincerely if my words have set the wrong example.”