China: Government documents show first coronavirus case was found November 17th 2019
The first case of someone in China suffering from Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, can be traced back to November 17th [2019], according to government data seen by the South China Morning Post.
According to the government data seen by the Post, a 55 year-old from Hubei province could have been the first person to have contracted Covid-19 on November 17. From that date onwards, one to five new cases were reported each day.
By December 15, the total number of infections stood at 27 – the first double-digit daily rise was reported on December 17 – and by December 20, the total number of confirmed cases had reached 60.
South China Morning Post report on 13th March 2020
** This post was originally published on May 27, 2021 **