Public responses to the novel 2019 coronavirus (2019‐nCoV) in Japan: Mental health consequences and target populations

In December 2019, cases of life-threatening pneumonia were reported in Wuhan, China. A novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was identified as the source of infection. The number of reported cases has rapidly increased in Wuhan as well as other Chinese cities. The virus has also been identified in other parts of the world. On 30 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared this disease a ‘public health emergency of international concern.’ As of 3 February 2020, the Chinese government had reported 17 205 confirmed cases in Mainland China, and the WHO had reported 146 confirmed cases in 23 countries outside China.1 The virus has not been contained within Wuhan, and other major cities in China are likely to…