This archive report was first published on 21 June 2020.
Italian Expert Says Coronavirus May Weaken Without Vaccine ¶
Matteo Bassetti, an Italian expert, has suggested that the novel coronavirus may be weakening by itself, potentially making a vaccine unnecessary.
According to Bassetti, who heads the infectious diseases clinic at the Policlinico San Martino hospital in Italy, the virus has downgraded from a highly lethal 'tiger' in March and April to a less lethal 'wild cat' in recent weeks.
He attributed this change to the virus weakening by itself, stating that patients who would have died from the disease two months ago are now recovering.
"In March and April, people were coming to the emergency unit with difficulty managing the illness as most of them needed oxygen and ventilation," Bassetti said.
"Now, in the past four weeks, patterns have changed and there could be lower viral load in the respiration system probably due to a genetic mutation in the virus which has not yet been demonstrated scientifically," he added.
Bassetti also suggested that the virus may be mutating, and that containment measures such as social distancing may be contributing to the lower viral load.
His comments come a month after a former World Health Organisation (WHO) official said the coronavirus was burning out by itself.
However, some doctors across the world have been dismissing such claims, saying there is no scientific evidence to back the claims that the virus has changed in any way.
Published on June 21, 2020
