Qianqian's mother shares a newspaper photo from the time of her daughter's birth on her social media account on March 24, 2025. Photo: Screenshot of the video she uploaded on her social media account

The passing of China's "Millennium Baby" Qianqian, who was born precisely at 00:00 on January 1, 2000, became the top trending topic on China's X-like Sina Weibo on Monday. Qianqian's mother posted an obituary on her social media account, saying her daughter passed away at the age of 25 due to sudden cardiac death (SCD), according to the China News Service.

Qianqian's mother, who is a teacher, shared a newspaper photo from the time of her daughter's birth on her social media account. The report showed that Qianqian was born at exactly 11:59 pm on January 1, 2000, just as the countdown to midnight began, making her the "Millennium Baby." So her mother named her "Qianqian," with "Qian" referring to "millennium" in Chinese.

The cause of Qianqian's death was sudden cardiac arrest, which occurred unexpectedly, according to the report.

SCD refers to natural death caused by cardiac-related issues, such as sudden cardiac arrest or severe arrhythmia. It is like a "hidden bomb" that can claim lives without warning, Yin Yiqi, a first aid instructor for the American Heart Association Heartsaver Program, told the Global Times on Monday.

SCD is not uncommon, Yin noted, explaining that factors such as intense physical activities, underlying cardiovascular diseases and the effects of certain medications can all contribute to its occurrence. 

"It is important for people to develop healthy lifestyle habits, maintain a regular schedule, and have a basic understanding of first aid and health management in daily life," Yin said.

Yin also advised the public to learn essential first-aid techniques, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED). "Acquiring these skills can help us act immediately to save the lives of SCD patients, giving them the best possible chance of survival," he noted.

In recent years, the Red Cross Society of China has installed over 64,000 AEDs in key public venues, reported the Xinhua News Agency in 2024. The data represents a significant surge compared to the previous count of 11,000 recorded in May 2021.