Timeline of key events in the history of COG-UK

First patient develops unusual pneumonia symptoms in Wuhan, China2019-12-08T00:00:00+0000First cluster of patients with 'pneumonia of an unknown cause identified in Wuhan'2019-12-21T00:00:00+0000China alerts WHO to several new pneumonia-like cases2019-12-31T00:00:00+0000Wuhan's wholesale seafood market shut down2020-01-01T00:00:00+0000First tweet from Sir Jeremy Farrar identifying: "Worrying, epidemiology, season, New Year & Chinese New Year in 3 weeks-but sorting out causative pathogen from huge number potential causes difficult...critical to implement public health measures urgently..."2020-01-03T00:00:00+0000Novel coronavirus (nCoV) identified2020-01-07T00:00:00+0000First SARS-CoV-2 genome published2020-01-10T00:00:00+0000First COVID-19 death recorded in China2020-01-11T00:00:00+0000First COVID-19 case reported outside of China in Thailand2020-01-13T00:00:00+0000ARTIC amplicon sequencing protocol published 2020-01-22T00:00:00+0000Public Health England announces COVID-19 risk level to the British public moving from ‘very low’ to ‘low’2020-01-22T00:00:00+0000Wuhan placed under quarantine, rail and air services suspended2020-01-23T00:00:00+0000UK's first two patients test positive for COVID-19 after two Chinese nationals from same family fall ill while staying at hotel in York2020-01-29T00:00:00+0000Britons evacuated from Wuhan arrive on plane at RAF Brize Norton go into 14 day quarantine in specialist hospital in Merseyside2020-01-29T00:00:00+0000WHO declares COVID-19 a global health emergency with thousands of new cases reported in China2020-01-30T00:00:00+0000213 COVID-19 deaths and 9,800 infected worldwide2020-01-31T00:00:00+0000Professor Sharon Peacock started discussing idea for national genomic surveillance system in the UK with Sir Patrick Vallance2020-02-01T00:00:00+0000New disease called 'COVID-19', standing for coronavirus disease 20192020-02-11T00:00:00+0000621 people aboard the British registered Diamond Princess cruise ship test positive, 443 passengers leave ship2020-02-19T00:00:00+0000WHO raises coronavirus alert to highest level2020-02-28T00:00:00+0000
Date Event People Places
8 Dec 2019First patient develops unusual pneumonia symptoms in Wuhan, ChinaWuhan
21 Dec 2019First cluster of patients with ‘pneumonia of an unknown cause' identified in WuhanWuhan
31 Dec 2019China alerts WHO to several new pneumonia-like casesWuhan
1 Jan 2020Wuhan's wholesale seafood market shut downWuhan
3 Jan 2020First tweet from Sir Jeremy Farrar identifying: "Worrying ... New Year & Chinese New Year in 3 weeks-but sorting out causative pathogen from huge number potential causes difficult...critical to implement public health measures urgently..."FarrarWellcome Trust
7 Jan 2020Novel coronavirus (nCoV) identifiedWuhan
10 Jan 2020First SARS-CoV-2 genome published 
11 Jan 2020First COVID-19 death recorded in China 
13 Jan 2020First COVID-19 case reported outside of China in ThailandThailand
22 Jan 2020ARTIC amplicon sequencing protocol published  
22 Jan 2020Public Health England announces COVID-19 risk level to the British public moving from ‘very low’ to ‘low’Public Health England
23 Jan 2020Wuhan placed under quarantine, rail and air services suspendedWuhan
29 Jan 2020UK's first two patients test positive for COVID-19 after two Chinese nationals from same family fall ill while staying at hotel in YorkYork
29 Jan 2020Britons evacuated from Wuhan arrive on plane at RAF Brize Norton go into 14 day quarantine in specialist hospital in MerseysideWuhan
30 Jan 2020WHO declares COVID-19 a global health emergency with thousands of new cases reported in China 
31 Jan 2020213 COVID-19 deaths and 9,800 infected worldwide 
February 2020Professor Sharon Peacock started discussing idea for national genomic surveillance system in the UK with Sir Patrick VallancePeacock, Vallance 
11 Feb 2020New disease called 'COVID-19', standing for coronavirus disease 2019 
19 Feb 2020621 people aboard the British registered Diamond Princess cruise ship test positive, 443 passengers leave shipJapan
28 Feb 2020WHO raises coronavirus alert to highest level 

8 Dec 2019

First patient develops unusual pneumonia symptoms in Wuhan, China

21 Dec 2019

First cluster of patients with ‘pneumonia of an unknown cause' identified in Wuhan

31 Dec 2019

China alerts WHO to several new pneumonia-like cases

1 Jan 2020

Wuhan's wholesale seafood market shut down

3 Jan 2020

First tweet from Sir Jeremy Farrar identifying: "Worrying ... New Year & Chinese New Year in 3 weeks-but sorting out causative pathogen from huge number potential causes difficult...critical to implement public health measures urgently..."

7 Jan 2020

Novel coronavirus (nCoV) identified

10 Jan 2020

First SARS-CoV-2 genome published

11 Jan 2020

First COVID-19 death recorded in China

13 Jan 2020

First COVID-19 case reported outside of China in Thailand

22 Jan 2020

ARTIC amplicon sequencing protocol published

22 Jan 2020

Public Health England announces COVID-19 risk level to the British public moving from ‘very low’ to ‘low’

23 Jan 2020

Wuhan placed under quarantine, rail and air services suspended

29 Jan 2020

UK's first two patients test positive for COVID-19 after two Chinese nationals from same family fall ill while staying at hotel in York

29 Jan 2020

Britons evacuated from Wuhan arrive on plane at RAF Brize Norton go into 14 day quarantine in specialist hospital in Merseyside

30 Jan 2020

WHO declares COVID-19 a global health emergency with thousands of new cases reported in China

31 Jan 2020

213 COVID-19 deaths and 9,800 infected worldwide

Feb 2020

Professor Sharon Peacock started discussing idea for national genomic surveillance system in the UK with Sir Patrick Vallance

11 Feb 2020

New disease called 'COVID-19', standing for coronavirus disease 2019

19 Feb 2020

621 people aboard the British registered Diamond Princess cruise ship test positive, 443 passengers leave ship

28 Feb 2020

WHO raises coronavirus alert to highest level

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