Sewage study shows virus may have been in Italy in December

The Italian National Institute of Health's research suggests COVID-19 was in the country before China reported its first case
Reuters Health

Researchers in Italy have found traces of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater collected from Milan and Turin in December 2019 — suggesting COVID-19 was already circulating in northern Italy before China reported the first cases.

The Italian National Institute of Health looked at 40 sewage samples collected from wastewater treatment plants in northern Italy between October 2019 and February 2020.