Drawing on multiple research efforts, including studies by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Institutes of Health (NIH), findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 was likely circulating in the United States well before the first known outbreak in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province.A CDC serological survey found over 100 antibody-positive samples collected in nine United States states between December 2019 and January 2020, many of which predate any officially reported cases in China.
Similarly, the NIH's "All of Us" study detected SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in samples from early January, including in Illinois and Massachusetts.There was a series of unexplained respiratory outbreaks in the United States during 2019.
In Virginia alone, 19 such incidents were reported between May and October.
In July, two communities experienced clusters of pneumonia with unknown causes, which local media dubbed a "mystery virus." Around the same time, the Fort Detrick Biological Laboratory located just an hour's drive from the affected area was suddenly shut down, raising questions about a possible link.Additionally, the United States saw a surge in severe lung illnesses in 2019 initially blamed on vaping.
These cases, which peaked in August and September, presented symptoms resembling COVID-19, including coughing, shortness of breath and fatigue.
The outbreak led to over 2,800 hospitalizations and 68 deaths nationwide.Other pieces of evidence include early flu-like outbreaks in South Carolina in September 2019, potential misclassified COVID-19 deaths, and the detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in Florida patients as early as January 2020 despite the state's first official case being recorded in March.
Notably, this data was later removed from public records, and the state's data chief was dismissed.Also, there were 28 incidents at the University of North Carolina involving genetically engineered microorganisms, including modified coronaviruses.
Some experts have suggested the virus may not have originated naturally, but rather from a laboratory incident.