COVID-19 Timeline Project

Several sources indicate that U.S. intelligence agencies became aware of an emerging disease in the City of Wuhan, China during the second week of November.

The U.S. CSIS Commission on Strengthening America’s Health Security releases a report stating the United States remains woefully ill-prepared to respond to global health security threats. The report urges the U.S. government to replace the cycle of crisis and complacency that has long plagued health security preparedness with a doctrine of continuous prevention, protection, and resilience.

Reports surface that the U.S. military’s National Center for Medical Intelligence (NCMI) issued intelligence reports on a contagion sweeping through China’s Wuhan region. The NMCI denies making any briefings in November.

Patient Wei Guixian is admitted to Wuhan Central Hospital with infection in both lungs but resistant to anti-flu drugs. Staff later learned he worked at a wildlife market connected to the outbreak. He is one of the earliest named cases of Coronavirus.
Person-to-person spreads of the new disease is occurring in Wuhan by mid-December, and cases are beginning to double every seven days.

A study published September 9, 2020, in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR) shows statistical evidence that the Coronavirus was already in the United States as early as December 22.

Doctor Zhang Jixian officially informs the Wuhan Jianghan Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, along with Chinese officials, that he may be witnessing a novel form of virus.
The first possible known case of Coronavirus appears in Paris, France, identified in a man admitted to a hospital. Based on known progression of the virus, the man must have become infected between December 14 to 22. (The medical identification as Coronavirus is based on tests of archival material and reported May 5, 2020.)
A French delegation took part in the 7th edition of the World Military Games in Wuhan from October 18 to 27 – just 20 days before the first Chinese person officially became ill with coronavirus. Participating French athletes have been quoted in French media as speculating that they may have brought the virus back home with them.
Probable cases of Coronavirus appears in two residents of Snohomish County, Washington, USA. One of these residents says she fell ill shortly after Christmas with a dry cough, fever and body aches. (The medical identification as Coronavirus is based on tests conducted in May 2020).

Chinese authorities confirmed they were investigating 27 cases of viral pneumonia.
Ai Fen, a top director at Wuhan Central Hospital, posts information on WeChat about the new virus. She was then reprimanded by officials and told not to spread information about it. Wuhan doctor Li Wenliang also shares information on WeChat about the new SARS-like virus. He is called in for questioning by Chinese officials shortly afterward.
Simultaneously, the Wuhan health commission notifies hospitals of a “pneumonia of unclear cause” and orders them to report any related information.