The first known infection by a new virus was reported in Wuhan on 1 December 2019 , the early response by city authorities has been accused of prioritising a control of information on the outbreak , with a group of eight medical personnel , including Li Wenliang , an ophthalmologist from Wuhan Central Hospital , who posted warnings on a new coronavirus strain akin to SARS , later in December being warned by Wuhan police for `` spreading rumours '' for likening it to SARS.By the time China had informed the WHO of the new coronavirus on 31 December 2019 , after allegations that the country used its influence in the World Health Organization to downplay the epidemic until it became unchecked , the New York Times reported that the government was still keeping `` its own citizens in the dark '' .
The first known case of the new virus was reported in Wuhan in December .