The novel
Coronavirus circulated in January in California, weeks earlier than thought, and early deaths were likely mistaken for the flu, a county health official said on Wednesday.
A 57-year-old woman had died of COVID-19 on Feb. 6, far earlier than any other reported cases in the
United States, said Sara Cody, the health officer in Santa Clara County, California.
News of the deaths in
California could improve public health officials' understanding of how the outbreak took hold in the United States.