France's first known COVID-19 case dates back to December

AFP

French authorities have found new evidence to suggest that the first case of coronavirus had appeared weeks earlier than what was officially reported.

Doctors at a Paris hospital found that a patient diagnosed with pneumonia on December 27 had COVID-19 after retesting his earlier samples.

"COVID-19 was already spreading in France in late December 2019, a month before the official first cases in the country," the team at Groupe Hospitalier Paris Seine in Saint-Denis wrote in a study that attempted to check if the virus had gone undetected.

France had reported its first official case on January 24, in two people who had travelled to China's Wuhan. 

So far, the country has 169,462 positive cases and more than 25,000 fatalities. 

More from International

Coming Up on Dubai Eye

  • Off Script with Chris, Robbie & Sonal

    5:00pm - 7:00pm

    The UAE’s alternative take on news, entertainment and sport. Join Chris, Robbie and Sonal as they cut through the clutter to bring you the news, entertainment and sport stories that actually matter.

  • Extra Time

    7:00pm - 8:00pm

    Chris & Robbie bring you the latest from the sporting world plus interviews with upcoming and legendary sporting stars.

BUSINESS BREAKFAST LATEST

On Dubai Eye

  • Flying Taxis

    It sounds like an episode of The Jetsons, but the sight of flying taxis whizzing around our cities could be much closer than you think.

  • Tough penalties for deliberate tax evasion

    The UAE has said that tougher penalties will come into force from 1st August for not keeping proper corporate tax records.