NPR report from Italy: https://www.npr.org/transcripts/817974987

POGGIOLI (NPR): Some question why Italy was caught off guard when the virus outbreak was revealed on February 21. Remuzzi says only now is he hearing new information from general practitioners.

REMUZZI (Doctor): That they remember having seen very strange pneumonias, very severe, particularly in old people in December and even in November. It means that the virus was circulating at least in Lombardy before we were aware of this outbreak occurring in China.