Modelling the epidemic trend of the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak in China

Abstract

We present a timely evaluation of the Chinese 2019-nCov epidemic in its initial phase, where 2019-nCov demonstrates comparable transmissibility but lower fatality rates than SARS and MERS. A quick diagnosis that leads to case isolation and integrated interventions will have a major impact on its future trend. Nevertheless, as China is facing its Spring Festival travel rush and the epidemic has spread beyond its borders, further investigation on its potential spatiotemporal transmission pattern and novel intervention strategies are warranted.