title: Incubation period as part of the case definition of severe respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus.
abstract: Non-specific symptoms of acute respiratory viral infections make it difficult for many countries without ongoing transmission of a novel coronavirus to rule out other possibilities including influenza before isolating imported febrile individuals with a possible exposure history. The incubation period helps differential diagnosis, and up to two days is suggestive of influenza. It is worth including the incubation period in the case definition of novel coronavirus infection.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. nishiura@hku.hk
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nishiura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mizumoto
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ejima
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Bj
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cowling
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Omori
mesh_terms: D001499:Bayes Theorem; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017934:Coronavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006723:Hong Kong; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D055256:Infectious Disease Incubation Period; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D010356:Patient Isolation; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000208:ethnology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D013997:Time Factors