Our estimates for 2019-nCoV are also compatible with those of 1918 pandemic influenza, for which k was estimated [14]. Human-to-human transmission of influenza viruses is characterised by R0 values between 1.5 and 2 and a larger value of k, implying a more steady transmission without superspreading. The emergence of new strains of influenza, for which human populations carried little to no immunity contrary to seasonal influenza, led to pandemics with different severity such as the ones in1918, 1957 1968 and 2009. It is notable that coronaviruses differ from influenza viruses in many aspects, and evidence for the 2019-nCoV with respect to case fatality rate, transmissibility from asymptomatic individuals and speed of transmission is still limited. Without speculating about possible consequences, the values of R0 and k found here during the early stage of 2019-nCoV emergence and the lack of immunity to 2019-nCoV in the human population leave open the possibility for pandemic circulation of this new virus.