The initial cases of COVID-19

By December 31, 2019, the cases of pneumonia from this mysterious virus had grown to 27.  And by January 11, 2020, the number was revised to 41.  All along it was speculated that the origin of the virus was the seafood market in spite of no clear cut evidence.  There was no consideration of a human to human transmission until January 24 a publication coming out of the University of Hong-Kong Shenzhen Hospital 500 miles away reported the admission of 6 members of a family who had travelled to Wuhan two-three weeks prior to their admission.  The family had not visited the seafood market of Wuhan and had not consumed any food that could have come from the market.  But they had visited a sick relative in Wuhan hospital.  During their visit, their 7-year-old child wore a mask while visiting.  Upon return all of them except the little girl became sick.   They had fever, cough and shortness of breath. And that’s when the doctors and public health authorities became alarmed.

A subsequent study of patients diagnosed between January 1 to the 22^nd revealed 200 patients who had never visited the Wuhan market developed the disease and thus human to human transmission confirmed.