Coronavirus was present in United States earlier than initially thought: study

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A nurse administers a test during a COVID-19 test and flu shot at the Tacoma Dome on November 28, 2020 in Tacoma, Washington. (Photo by David Ryder / Getty Images)

ANGELS – Although the first case of coronavirus was not identified in the United States until January, a new study suggests that the new disease was present in the country earlier than previously thought.

A study published Monday in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases conducted by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that the new virus was present in the United States as of mid-December 2019.

The finding is based on Red Cross blood donations from nine states, including Washington, Oregon, California, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin.

Specifically, evidence of SARS-CoV-2, the scientific name for the new virus, was present in 106 of 7,389 blood donations, which were collected between December 13, 2019 and January 17, 2020, according to the study.

Antibodies to the virus were found in 39 blood samples from Washington, Oregon and California, and they were found in 67 samples from the other six states.

“These results suggest that SARS-CoV-2 may have been introduced into the United States before January 19, 2020,” the researchers said. The results “also underscore the value of donated blood as a source of SARS-CoV-2 surveillance.”

Other studies have also suggested that the virus may have been present in the United States earlier than expected. Specifically, a study published in September and conducted by researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles and the University of Washington said the new virus may have been present in Los Angeles last year around Christmas.

Amy McGorry of Fox News contributed to this report.