In late December 2019, Chinese health authorities detected unusual cases of pneumonia among individuals in Wuhan, Hubei province. The WHO received an official notification from the local health department, which highlighted a series of respiratory illnesses reported among residents who had visited a seafood market. This market had been closed for investigation, and the number of cases was rising rapidly, raising alarms both locally and internationally. The WHO's involvement marked the beginning of global interest in this emerging health threat. With ongoing investigations, authorities were eager to identify if this phenomenon was caused by a novel virus or an existing pathogen. Medical personnel initiated contact tracing and sample testing to glean more insights into the cause of these infections, which clinical findings suggested had the potential for human transmission. The monitoring of these cases paved the way for further studies and public health measures. This early response to the pneumonia cases would ultimately be a crucial step in addressing what later became known as COVID-19.