COVID-19 may have been in the Los Angeles area before the first identified cases in the United States, according to a UCLA-led study. The researchers analyzed electronic health records from more than 2.5 million annual patient visits across three hospitals and 180 clinics in the LA area between July 2014 and February, according to the study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. Read more...

Photo: A UCLA study found a significant rise in patients with respiratory complaints and illnesses during December and January, raising the question of whether COVID-19 was already in Los Angeles before its detection. The study utilized methods that could possibly detect new and changing illnesses to prevent future outbreaks. (Photo by Kanishka Mehra/Photo editor, Photo illustration by Shruti Iyer/Daily Bruin senior staff)