Prediction of the virus incubation period for COVID-19 and future outbreaks

A crucial factor in mitigating respiratory viral outbreaks is early determination of the duration of the incubation period and, accordingly, the required quarantine time for potentially exposed individuals. Here, we explore different genomic features of RNA viruses that correlate with the incubation times and provide a predictive model that accurately estimates the upper limit incubation time for diverse viruses including SARS-CoV-2, and thus, could help control future outbreaks.