The COVID-19 resource centre, established by Elsevier in January 2020, provides free information in English and Mandarin on the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). The centre is hosted on Elsevier Connect and grants permission for all related research to be immediately available in PubMed Central and other public repositories, with unrestricted reuse and analysis. The outbreak, which began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, has raised global concern due to its potential for human-to-human transmission and the risk of widespread spread. Early reports indicate that the virus has a high mutation rate and can cause severe respiratory symptoms, with a case-fatality ratio estimated at around 3%. Health workers have been particularly vulnerable, with several infections reported. Public health measures, including travel restrictions and active surveillance, have been implemented to control the spread. The availability of genetic sequences and initial data on epidemiology and clinical outcomes is crucial for understanding and managing the outbreak. However, many questions remain unanswered, and ongoing research is needed to develop diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.The COVID-19 resource centre, established by Elsevier in January 2020, provides free information in English and Mandarin on the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). The centre is hosted on Elsevier Connect and grants permission for all related research to be immediately available in PubMed Central and other public repositories, with unrestricted reuse and analysis. The outbreak, which began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, has raised global concern due to its potential for human-to-human transmission and the risk of widespread spread. Early reports indicate that the virus has a high mutation rate and can cause severe respiratory symptoms, with a case-fatality ratio estimated at around 3%. Health workers have been particularly vulnerable, with several infections reported. Public health measures, including travel restrictions and active surveillance, have been implemented to control the spread. The availability of genetic sequences and initial data on epidemiology and clinical outcomes is crucial for understanding and managing the outbreak. However, many questions remain unanswered, and ongoing research is needed to develop diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.