Chinese epidemiologist Li Lanjuan released a statement on Friday evening, saying the description by the science magazine Nature of her role in fighting the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan is inaccurate.

The UK-based magazine Nature, one of the world's most renowned science journals, recently released a list of key developments in science last year and some of the people who played important roles in these milestones.

In the introduction to the list, the journal stated it selected people who helped to make amazing discoveries and brought attention to crucial issues.

Among the 10, Li, an epidemiologist at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, was selected for her role in helping to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, according to Nature.

"After going through the related article, I found that the story about me does not square with the facts," she said in the statement.

After the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, Hubei province, Li joined an expert group working on the epidemiological investigation and patient treatment.

"However, I deem it inappropriate to refer me as 'lockdown architect' and therefore selected as one of Nature's 10. It goes against the facts and I hope it will be corrected," she said.

As a member of the high-level expert group of the National Health Commission, Li was one of the first medical experts to rush to Wuhan to fight the COVID-19 outbreak.

Li, 73, among other experts, proposed the lockdown of Wuhan to control the spread of the disease.

With a population of 11 million, the city was locked down on Jan 23, with the suspension of all outbound buses, trains, flights and ferries. All urban public transport was also suspended.