As reported by the South China Morning Post, when the virus hit Chinese city Wuhan, Pei and her family were exposed to it.

On February 1, Pei, Liu, also a rower, and Liu’s mother went to hospital for a nucleic acid test after some coughing and fever but two days later Liu died at home before the test results were known.

Pei was part of China’s women’s coxless four gold medal-winning team at the 1993 World Rowing Championships in Račice in Czech Republic.

The following year at the 1994 Asian Games in Hiroshima, Pei triumphed in the women's coxless pair event.

At the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Pei and her team-mates finished fifth in the women’s eight event.

As reported by the South China Morning Post, Pei’s son, Liu Liwei, also developed a high fever and was diagnosed with coronavirus, just two days after his father died.

Pei was sent to a hotel for a 14-day period of quarantine, along with her mother-in-law, who became a confirmed case of coronavirus on February 12. 

Liu’s mother was transferred to the newly-built Huoshenshan Hospital, while Pei stayed in quarantine.

Pei's isolation is soon to end and the condition of both her son and mother-in-law has been getting better, according to the South China Morning Post.

The latest figures from China put the death toll from coronavirus at 2,236 people and total infections at more than 75,000.

The virus has also spread around the globe, with more than 1,000 cases and several deaths in the rest of Asia, in Europe, the United States and Africa.