Coronavirus may have existed in Italy since November: local researcher

As COVID-19 spreads across the world, many are interested in the origin of the virus behind this deadly disease. Fingers have been pointed at China, the U.S. and other places.

Recently, a pharmacological researcher provided another possible lead to National Public Radio (NPR), a U.S. media outlet.

Dr. Giuseppe Remuzzi, director of the Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research in Italy, said he heard from general practitioners in the country's Lombardy region that "they remember having seen very strange pneumonia, very severe, particularly in old people in December and even November."

"This means that the virus was circulating, at least in [the northern region of Lombardy and before we were aware of this outbreak occurring in China," he told NPR.

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