On the last day of 2019 (Dec 31), a cluster of the novel coronavirus disease was reported by China. “Local authorities have so far confirmed 41 cases with novel coronavirus infection preliminarily diagnosed in Wuhan, of whom seven are severely ill. The only death case was a patient with other underlying health conditions.” [2]
According to NEJM paper “three adult patients presented with severe pneumonia and were admitted to a hospital in Wuhan on December 27, 2019”. Patient 1, a 49 year old woman was a retailer in the seafood wholesale market, patient 2, a 61 year old man was a frequent visitor to the seafood wholesale market. Patient 3 was 32 years old. Only patient 2 died. Patient samples were tested.
At the time the “WHO’s Country Office in the People’s Republic of China picked up a media statement by the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission from their website on cases of ‘viral pneumonia’ in Wuhan, People’s Republic of China. The Country Office notified the International Health Regulations (IHR) focal point in the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office…” The following day “WHO requested information on the reported cluster of atypical pneumonia cases in Wuhan from the Chinese authorities.” [1]
WHO’s Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources (EIOS) platform also picked up a media report on ProMED titled “UNDIAGNOSED PNEUMONIA – CHINA (HUBEI): REQUEST FOR INFORMATION” [screenshot]
The media report stated: “The so-called unexplained pneumonia cases refer to the following 4 cases of pneumonia that cannot be diagnosed at the same time: fever (greater than or equal to 38C); imaging characteristics of pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome; reduced or normal white blood cells in the early stages of onset The number of lymphocytes was reduced. After treatment with antibiotics for 3 to 5 days, the condition did not improve significantly.”
The patients appeared from multiple hospitals and the “investigation found that most of the cases were operated by South China Seafood City in Jianghan District, Wuhan.” Of the 27 cases found “7 were critically ill, and the remaining cases were controllable.”
It is reported to be stated in a Five Eye’s intelligence report that the “Chinese internet authorities begin censoring terms from social media such as Wuhan Unknown Pneumonia” on December 31, 2019.
The last day of 2019 would eventually earn the disease name “coronavirus disease 2019” or COVID-19.