THREAD

Two coronavirus-infected people died in Santa Clara County on Feb. 6 & Feb. 17, the medical examiner revealed Tues, making them first documented COVID-19 fatalities in the US.

Until now, the first fatality was believed to have occurred in Kirkland, Wash., on Feb. 29

Officials previously had said the first Silicon Valley death was March 9. But the Santa Clara County medical examiner revealed Tuesday that people who died Feb. 6, Feb. 17 and March 6 also died of COVID-19.

“These 3 individuals died at home during a time when very limited testing was available only through the @CDCgov Testing criteria set by the CDC at the time restricted testing to only individuals with a known travel history and who sought medical care for specific symptoms.”

“As the Medical Examiner-Coroner continues to carefully investigate deaths throughout the county, we anticipate additional deaths from COVID-19 will be identified.” https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-04-21/autopsies-reveal-first-confirmed-u-s-coronavirus-deaths-occurred-in-bay-area-in-early-february

Dr. Smith, physician who is chief executive of Santa Clara Co. gov't, said data collected by CDC, local health depts & others suggest it was here “a lot longer than we first believed” - most likely since “back in Dec.”

In Jan & most Feb, little if any community testing in CA.

most experts say their data doesn't support novel coronavirus being in US since December, but this is a direct quote from the LA Times piece.