ROME : The new coronavirus was circulating in Italy in September 2019, a study by the National Cancer Institute (INT) of the Italian city of Milan shows, signaling that it might have spread beyond China earlier than thought. But it has said "the possibility that the virus may have silently circulated elsewhere cannot be ruled out." The WHO said on Monday it was reviewing the results from Italy and additional information published there at the weekend and was seeking clarification. A further SARS-CoV-2 antibodies test was carried out by the University of Siena for the same research titled "Unexpected detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the pre-pandemic period in Italy". Italian researchers told Reuters in March that they reported a higher than usual number of cases of severe pneumonia and flu in Lombardy in the last quarter of 2019 in a sign that the new coronavirus might have circulated earlier than thought.

Source: Mint November 16, 2020 12:33 UTC