Could COVID-19 have been circulating in the U.S. before the Wuhan outbreak? 🌏 New evidence from multiple studies is sparking fresh debates about the virus’s origins.
The Timeline Shuffle
A CDC antibody study found over 100 positive samples in nine U.S. states between December 2019 and January 2020—some pre-dating China’s first reported cases. NIH’s 'All of Us' research similarly detected antibodies in Illinois and Massachusetts samples from early January. 🧪
U.S. Mystery Outbreaks 🕵️♂️
Virginia reported 19 unexplained respiratory outbreaks between May-October 2019
July ‘mystery virus’ clusters linked to pneumonia cases near Fort Detrick lab, which abruptly closed that month
Florida’s health department detected antibodies in patients as early as January 2020—two months before official cases—but later scrubbed the data and fired its data chief. Meanwhile, UNC reported 28 incidents involving engineered coronaviruses in 2019, reviving lab-leak theories. 🧬
While the origins debate continues, these findings highlight how much we’re still learning about the pandemic’s early days. What do you think—nature or lab? Let’s keep the science loud and the speculation grounded. 🔬✨
