Fans remember Kathy Chow Hoi-mei on December 13, 2023. Photo: VCG

Actress Kathy Chow Hoi-mei has died at the age of 57 due to an illness, Chow's studio announced on Tuesday. Netizens were angered by the leak of a screenshot of an electronic medical record believed to have belonged to Chow, allegedly from a hospital in Beijing's Shunyi district. They called for greater respect for the deceased and expressed anger over the leak.

The public security bureau in Shunyi district announced on Thursday that a 36-year-old male suspect surnamed Fu has been placed under administrative detention after he took advantage of his job at a hospital in Shunyi and released a screenshot of a patient’s medical record to WeChat group on Monday for the purpose of showing off, leading to the spread of personal information and creating a bad social impact. 

Fu and the hospital involved will possibly face multiple penalties according to the health administrative punishment rules of Beijing municipality which were revised in January of 2023. 

The hospital may be issued a warning and receive a penalty between 10,000 yuan ($1,394) and 50,000 yuan. The punishment will be publicized for 12 months or longer. Doctors and nurses involved may face suspension or have their medical licenses revoked under severe circumstances. 

The Shunyi district health authority said that it had noticed the situation and an investigation is underway, media reports said on Wednesday. The screenshot of the medical record went viral online on Tuesday night, showing Chow's personal information, treatment time, and other related information, according to media reports.

The results of the investigation will be announced to the public in due course, said the report, citing an employee from the health authority. The police have also started to investigate, according to media reports.

An insider said that two suspects have been handed over to the police, one of whom is an employee at the hospital involved and the other is the employee's friend. The employee has been suspended from work and the hospital is waiting for the result of the police investigation, The Beijing News reported.

The exposure of the medical record caused outrage among many netizens, who expressed their anger: "She has already passed away, and her privacy is being exposed in such a naked manner!" "This is so unethical!" "It disrespects the privacy of the deceased!"

Some netizens asked who could have released the medical record and queried whether it violated laws and regulations.

"I didn't look at it. I hope the relevant medical department will investigate the case. This is a violation of patient privacy," one netizen wrote.

China's top health authority issued a special action plan for patient safety (2023-25) in September, emphasizing the importance of information security and prevention of data leakage, destruction, and loss. It is strictly prohibited for anyone to provide patient diagnosis and treatment information to others or other institutions without authorization.

Chow was a highly talented actress noted for many iconic roles throughout her acting career. The roles that are unforgettable for the post-80s generation include her portrayal of Zhou Zhiruo, one of the lead characters in the wuxia novel The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, by famous Chinese martial arts novelist Louis Cha Leung-yung, more widely known by his pen name Jin Yong.

Chow's talent and dedication to her career made her a respected figure in the industry, and her most famous roles are still cherished by her fans. Chow's passing has been a trending topic on Sina Weibo since Tuesday, with fans and netizens expressing their shock and sadness over her sudden death. Many shared their favorite memories of the actress. Chow's Weibo account has nearly 1 million fans.

Various actors, including her ex-husband Raymond Lui Leung-wai, also paid tribute to her. "I can't calm down for a long time after hearing this news. Thank you for bringing so much beauty to the world. May you continue to laugh in another world," Lui wrote via Weibo.

Global Times