T_R_Oglodyte
TUG Lifetime Member
Nice Q and A with one of the leading corona virus chasers in the world.
A key point - when COVID-19 appears in a new area, that's not because there has been importation of cases. Rather, the virus has been spreading there for some time, and the number of cases is now large e enough to trigger detection.
Important corollaries: If you live in area where no cases have been reported, that doesn't mean the virus hasn't arrived yet. It just means the outbreak in your area hasn't become large enough to be detected. And that means that everyone should be acing as if the novel coronavirus is in your community.

Tracking a pandemic: Q&A with a COVID-19 detective
As COVID-19 spreads across the country and the globe, an international team of genetic gumshoes has been close behind.
www.fredhutch.org
A key point - when COVID-19 appears in a new area, that's not because there has been importation of cases. Rather, the virus has been spreading there for some time, and the number of cases is now large e enough to trigger detection.
Important corollaries: If you live in area where no cases have been reported, that doesn't mean the virus hasn't arrived yet. It just means the outbreak in your area hasn't become large enough to be detected. And that means that everyone should be acing as if the novel coronavirus is in your community.