COVID-19 may have been present in US weeks before China reported first case: Study

latest study has revealed that COVID-19 infections may have been present in United States prior to first reported case on January 19, 2020. new study, published in Oxford Academic on vember 30, states that COVID-19 may have been introduced in US in December 2019. After testing of 7,389 blood samples was conducted from December 13 to January 17, it was established that COVID-19 antibodies were present in United States, earlier than previously recognised. 

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COVID antibodies existed as early as Dec

According to study, 7,389 routine blood donations collected by American Red Cross from December 13 to January 17 from nine states were sent to Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) testing of anti-SARS-CoV-2-reactive antibodies. It was established that COVID-19 antibodies did exist in US prior to first reported case in January. 

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China, where COVID-19 was first identified, tified World Health Organisation (WHO) about disease on December 31, 2019. But it is believed that China first identified SARS-CoV-2 in a person hospitalised in Wuhan with symptom onset as early as December 1. In US, first case was identified on January 19, two days after national testing initiative was started. first US patient, who contracted disease, had returned from China. 

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revelation made by study could spark debate that coronavirus may have originated somewhere else as it proves disease was silently spreading across world prior than officially detected by governments. This is t first when it has emerged that COVID-19 may have been spreading outside China before 2020. Earlier, France had reported a case of a man who is thought to have contracted disease in December, prior to country officially reporting its first case in January end. 

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(Im Credit: AP)