Incubation period of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infections among travellers from Wuhan, China, 20–28 January 2020
Jantien A. Backer, Don Klinkenberg, Jacco Wallinga
Abstract
A novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is causing an outbreak of viral pneumonia that started in Wuhan, China. Using the travel history and symptom onset of 88 confirmed cases that were detected outside Wuhan in the early outbreak phase, we estimate the mean incubation period to be 6.4 days (95% credible interval: 5.6-7.7), ranging from 2.1 to 11.1 days (2.5th to 97.5th percentile). These values should help inform 2019-nCoV case definitions and appropriate quarantine durations.
Topics & Concepts
Incubation periodOutbreakCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)QuarantineCoronavirus2019-20 coronavirus outbreakPneumoniaChinaBetacoronavirusVirologyCoronavirus InfectionsMedicinePercentilePandemicVeterinary medicineIncubationGeographyBiologyInternal medicineInfectious disease (medical specialty)DiseaseStatisticsPathologyMathematicsArchaeologyBiochemistryCOVID-19 epidemiological studiesCOVID-19 Pandemic ImpactsSARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research