As a sudden outbreak with untold global health implications, the 2019 Coronavirus exemplifies a crisis scenario where the quality and character of the immediate response has the power to shape future efforts to tackle this incident and others like it. Seen from a global communications standpoint, the development of 2019-nCov is thematically all too familiar. As organizations and governments with the power to take up action, the need for effective communication and a coordinated, collaborative effort grows more apparent every day.