The novel coronavirus – SARS-CoV-2 – may have been in Europe for longer than previously thought. Recent studies have suggested that it was circulating in Italy as early as December 2019. More surprisingly, researchers at the University of Barcelona found traces of the virus when testing untreated wastewater samples dated March 12, 2019.
The study was recently published on a preprint server, medRxiv. The paper is currently being subject to critical review by outside experts in preparation for publication in a scientific journal.
Until this process of peer review has been completed, though, the evidence needs to be treated with caution.
Since October 19 there have been a number of unexplained illnesses in the UK. My sister in law was Antibody tested and was found to have had the virus. However the only illness she had along with the rest of family was over the Christmas new year period. If our symptoms then had been tested for Covid I now wonder if they would if have been positive. There are reports of Covid like symptoms in China in early 2019. It would not suprise me if the virus reached the UK earlier than the official time.
Interesting. I was admitted to hospital in Bristol on December 30th with pulmonary oedema, and just at that time both the BRI and Southmead were overwhelmed with respiratory admissions. Recently I was in Southmead again and some of the nurses were convinced that that had been the start of the epidemic. The nurse at my GP practice also felt that it had been about then. My son, who never has chest infections, had pneumonia quite unexpectedly at about the same time. In February my respiratory consultant said he didn’t need to see me again unless I got worse and he was definitely not his usual cheerful self. All very odd.
March 2019 is probably unlikely but after flying home from Tenerife in mid December we both got ill with COVID type symptoms. My husband also had those Covid toes ! But we will never really know as no tests and an illness no one in Europe knew about. I was in bed Christmas Day.
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