A 26-year-old man in Wuhan has gained 224 pounds in the space of five months while staying at home to avoid COVID-19, according to doctors.

Mr Zhou had to be rushed to hospital by an ambulance earlier this month after falling critically ill because of the sudden increase in his weight.

He now weighs 616 pounds and is reported to be the heaviest man in Wuhan.

Mr Zhou, a worker at an internet cafe, stopped leaving home when the city went into lockdown in late January.

After officials lifted the draconian measures in early April, he continued to be homebound. His family members said he was struggling to move due to his weight.

Footage and images released by the Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University show medical workers examining Mr Zhou after he was admitted to the hospital on June 1.

According to the hospital, Mr Zhou has been struggling with his weight for his entire life even though he tried different ways to lose weight.

At the end of last year, the 5ft7 man weighed 392 pounds.

In late January, Wuhan was driven into a draconian lockdown in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic.

The city’s 11 million residents were put under strict home-isolation with minimal access to outside. The local government lifted the lockdown on April 8.

Mr Zhou did not step out of his flat for five months, and as a result, his weight grew by a further 224 pounds.

Li Zhen, a doctor from Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, received a phone call on May 31 from Mr Zhou desperately asking for help.

The man said that he had not been able to fall asleep for 48 hours.

Dr Li said that Mr Zhou was in such a frail state that he could barely speak when the medics arrived at his home the next day.

He was immediately rushed to the hospital’s intensive care units. He had to be carried onto the hospital bed by six security guys and four medical workers together.

Mr Zhou was left fighting for his life after being diagnosed with heart failure and respiratory dysfunction.

After being given round-the-clock care for nine days, the Wuhan resident’s condition finally became stable. He was transferred to a regular ward yesterday.

Mr Zhou is set to undergo a weight-loss operation by removing part of his stomach – but he has to lose 55 pounds in the next three months to reduce the risk of the surgery.

His story was revealed by the hospital in a social media post today. However, the hospital did not explain the exact cause of Mr Zhou’s sudden weight gain.