The research shows the presence of coronavirus in the north of the country over two weeks before China reported its first cases.
"This research may help us understand the beginning of virus circulation in Italy," said Giuseppina La Rosa, who co-led the research.
A spokeswoman for the institute said the full data and study would be published next week and announced plans to monitor wastewater in tourist resorts from July.Researchers across the world have found signs that the virus that causes COVID-19 can be detected in sewage, and many countries are beginning to sample wastewater to track the disease.
And scientists said the detection of traces of the virus before the end of 2019 was consistent with evidence in other countries thatA French study found that a man was infected with COVID-19 as early as 27 December - nearly a month before the country confirmed its first cases.
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