r/worldnews – Coronavirus epidemic was spreading in US last Christmas, long before it was identified in China, new study finds

This is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 75%. (I’m a bot)

COVID-19 was spreading throughout the continental U.S. prior to the first official recorded infection, according to a new study.

Looking at blood samples collected by the American Red Cross between Dec. 13 and Jan. 17, some blood donors from nine states tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, indicating that they had come into contact with the virus prior to Jan. 20, when officials confirmed the first COVID-19 case in the U.S. The study.

Serologic tests featured in the U.S. study highlight the efficiency of using blood samples as a means to trace the virus, especially as many infected individuals boast only modest symptoms or are asymptomatic.

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