Laboratory testing of human suspected cases of novel coronavirus (‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎nCoV)‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ infection: interim guidance, 10 January 2020

The purpose of this document is to provide interim guidance to laboratories and stakeholders involved in laboratory testing of patients who meet the definition of suspected case of pneumonia associated with a novel coronavirus identified in Wuhan, China.

For the basis of this document various existing WHO documents have been used and adapted for its purpose, including WHO laboratory guidance for MERS-CoV (1-11). As information about the etiology, clinical manifestations and transmission of disease in the cluster of respiratory disease patients identified in Wuhan is limited, WHO continues to monitor developments and will revise these recommendations as necessary.