Zhang Zhan, 37, was arrested in May and accused of “picking quarrels and stirring up trouble”, a commonly used charge in China.

She had tried to report on the outbreak of the virus on social media and a streaming account. As a result, she was detained near Shanghai. Last month she was formally charged with spreading false information.

In a video on YouTube posted in February, she said the number of infected patients in Wuhan was higher than the government claimed.

Her lawyer, Zhang Keke, said in a blog post after visiting her: “She was wearing thick pyjamas with a girdle around the waist, her left hand pinned in front and right hand pinned behind. She said she had a stomach tube inserted recently and because she wanted to pull it out, she was restrained.

“In addition to headache, dizziness and stomach pain, there was also pain in her mouth and throat. She said this may be inflammation due to the insertion of a gastric tube.”

Mr Keke said his client had expected to go to court this month but that her hearing had been cancelled.