Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – A study found the Covid-19 corona virus already existed in the United States (US) before researchers and health officials published that this virus was found in Wuhan, China. This is research from the US government.
Previously, Covid-19 was first identified in Wuhan in December 2019 and the first confirmed case in the US was on January 20, 2020 from a traveler who returned from China.
But new findings published in the Journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases on Monday (11/30/2020) found that a virus known as SARS-CoV-2 has infected people in the US much earlier than that.
“SARS-CoV-2 infection may have been in the US in December 2019, earlier than previously known,” the study authors said as quoted by NPR, Wednesday (2/12/2020).
The findings add to evidence that Covid-19 had been spreading quietly before health officials in several countries identified it.
The researchers made this conclusion after the United States CDC analyzed blood that the American Red Cross collected from residents in nine states. They found evidence of corona antibodies in 106 blood from 7,389 blood donors.
The CDC analyzes blood collected from December 13, 2020 to January 17, 2020. The presence of antibodies in a person’s blood indicates they have been exposed to Covid-19 and the body’s immune system has triggered antibodies.
Researchers found coronavirus antibodies in 39 samples from California, Oregon and Washington December 13-16. They also found antibodies in 67 samples from Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Rhode Island and Wisconsin in early January before the outbreak spread to various countries.
“These findings also highlight the value of blood donors as a source for conducting surveillance studies of SARS-CoV-2,” said the researchers.
The study authors hope this research can help identify resources and public health interventions related to what is needed to stop serious illness and death from COVID-19.
(roy/dru)
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