COVID-19 might have started in Wuhan in August, not November

[TexasTowelie]

June 9 (UPI) -- The COVID-19 outbreak may have started in Wuhan, China, in August 2019 -- at least three months earlier than previously thought -- according to an analysis by researchers at Harvard University.

The findings, based on satellite images of city streets and search engine use among local residents, show a marked increase in traffic outside five hospitals in Wuhan from late August to December.

This coincides with a spike in online searches for symptoms like "cough" and "diarrhea," the researchers said.

Chinese officials have refuted the findings, calling them "ridiculous."

Read more: https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2020/06/09/Analysis-COVID-19-might-have-started-in-Wuhan-in-August-not-November/2511591724931/

[SheltieLover]

1. Thank you!

Why has it taken so long for this info to be made public I wonder?

[secondwind]

2. Did you read the article? It's all in there.

[SheltieLover]

3. Yes

But article does not explain why the public was not informed. I prefer information from which to draw my own conclusions, if that makes sense to you.

For exame, I saw news that Arkansas reported 10 flu deaths in one week during early April. That did not sit right with me, although I have no way to prove these were deaths caused by covid.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

4. Little by little, things that we may have thought intuitively,

as analytical laymen, are becoming proven or true. Like masks were always important, our government just didn't have enough to protect us. And, severity of virus equates to how much of the virus you were exposed to - which they recently concluded.

When you ask why we weren't informed, it made me wonder...has the severity increased over time? Were those early incidences less fatal? It would explain why no alarms were sounded? I personally know two people who had COVID symptoms in November but nothing that was life threatening.

[milestogo]

5. Is diarrhea a symptom of COVID19?

I don't remember hearing that before.

[gypsy11]

6. Yes

It’s a fairly common symptom.

[Ilsa]

7. It can be for some people:

from CDC:
Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea