A new coronavirus first discovered in China is beginning to spread.

The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has informed the World Health Organization (WHO) of a confirmed case of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in a person who travelled to Wuhan, China.

This is the second confirmed case of 2019-nCoV that has been detected outside of China, following confirmation of a case in Thailand on 13 January.

Considering global travel patterns, additional cases in other countries are likely.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). 2019-nCoV is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans.

Much remains to be understood about the new coronavirus, which was first identified in China earlier this month.

Not enough is known about 2019-nCoV to draw definitive conclusions about how it is transmitted, clinical features of disease, or the extent to which it has spread. The source also remains unknown.

The WHO encourages all countries to continue preparedness activities.

The organisation’s interim guidance and other information on coronaviruses can be found here.