
On February 6, a 61-year-old woman in South Korea was in a minor traffic accident in Daegu, the country’s fourth largest city.
The following day, she began experiencing headaches in what seemed to be caused by the car collision. So, she checked herself into the Saeronan Chinese Medicine Hospital.
The woman drove home to collect her belongings, before returning to the hospital where she would stay for a number of days. On February 9, the unidentified woman attended a service at the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu, with hundreds of other worshippers.
On her third day of being at the hospital, doctors discovered the woman had a fever, accompanied by other flu-like symptoms.
She took a flu test. It came back negative.

But those symptoms persisted in the days following, specifically her high-fever, which was worsening.
On February 15, doctors suggested she be tested for the Novel coronavirus COVID-19. At the time, the country had a mere 30 confirmed cases of the virus which had been sweeping neighbouring country, China, where the coronavirus originated. In South Korea, at least, it appeared to be contained.
The woman didn't take the test for coronavirus. She had not travelled overseas since the outbreak began - she reasoned - and had not been in contact with any confirmed cases of the coronavirus (that she knew of).
Watch: Mamamia's Claire Murphy breaks down your most asked questions about COVID-19. Post continues below.