Evidence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in an Oropharyngeal Swab Specimen, Milan, Italy, Early December 2019

• DOI: 10.3201/eid2702.204632
• Publication Date: 2020-12-09T01:08:05Z
• Authors: Antonella Amendola; Silvia Bianchi; Maria Gori; Daniela Colzani; Marta Canuti; Elisa Borghi; Mario C. Raviglione; Gian Vincenzo Zuc...; Elisabetta Tanzi
• Keywords: Male; 0303 health sciences; SARS-CoV-2; R; COVID-19; Oropharynx; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; COVID-19; Italy; Milan; SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2 RNA; coronavirus disease; oropharyngeal swab; respiratory infections; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; skin manifestations; viruses; zoonoses.; 3. Good health; respiratory infections; 03 medical and health sciences; coronavirus disease; Italy; COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing; Child, Preschool; Research Letter; Medicine; Humans; RNA, Viral; viruses; Skin Diseases, Infectious; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2

We identified severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA in an oropharyngeal swab specimen collected from a child with suspected measles in early December 2019, ≈3 months before the first identified coronavirus disease case in Italy. This finding expands our knowledge on timing and mapping of novel coronavirus transmission pathways.