Coronavirus could die out on its own, according to Italian expert: Report – silive.com

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- According to an infectious disease expert in Italy, the coronavirus (COVID-19) has weakened over time and could die out before a vaccine is needed.

Prof. Matteo Bassetti, head of the infectious diseases clinic at the Policlinico San Martino hospital, says he believes COVID over the past month or so has been losing its virulence, the Sunday Telegraph reported.

He bases that theory in part on the fact patients who would previously have died are now recovering.

In March and early April the patterns were completely different, Bassetti said. People were coming to the emergency department with a very difficult to manage illness and they needed oxygen and ventilation; some developed pneumonia.

Now, in the past four weeks, the picture has completely changed in terms of patterns. There could be a lower viral load in the respiratory tract, probably due to a genetic mutation in the virus which has not yet been demonstrated scientifically. Also we are now more aware of the disease and able to manage it.

I think the virus has mutated because our immune system reacts to the virus and we have a lower viral load now due to the lockdown, mask-wearing, social distancing. We still have to demonstrate why its different now.

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Coronavirus could die out on its own, according to Italian expert: Report - silive.com