Hong Kong: The first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in China can be traced back to November 17, 2019, according to government data. Chinese authorities have so far identified at least 266 people who were infected last year, all of whom came under medical surveillance at some point, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on Friday citing the data as saying. Some of the cases were likely backdated after health authorities had tested specimens taken from suspected patients. According to the government data seen by the SCMP, a 55-year-old from Hubei province, whose capital Wuhan is the epicenter of the outbreak, could have been the first person to have contracted the disease on November 17, 2019. (IANS)