While the World Health Organization confirmed that the first COVID case was detected on December 9, 2019, the first known case of COVID-19 was traced in China's Hubei Province on this day, that is, November 17, 2019. Later, Hubei became the epicentre as the virus rapidly spread in the province and later on, to the whole world. According to media reports and health officials in China, a 55-year-old could have been the first person to have contracted the viral infection as recorded in their government data. The rest is history as the world went under complete lockdown and many of our loved ones succumbed to the deadly virus.
 
Another important event that happened on the same day was the inauguration of the Suez Canal in 1869. Egypt's Suez Canal, linking the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea, reduced the distance between Britain and India considerably, by almost 7,242 kilometres! This helped ships reach Europe directly without the need to travel around Southern Africa.

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We're sure that many of you recognise Arnold Schwarzenegger as a bodybuilder and a film actor. This Austrian-born American was appointed as the Governor of California on November 17, 2003 following a recall election that ousted the sitting governor. On November 7, 2006, Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger defeated Democratic State Treasurer Phil Angelides in the California gubernatorial election to secure a second term as the Governor of California. His term ended in January 2007.