It’s been reported that the number of COVID-19 cases could possibly be getting weaker. This comes after cases appear to be increasing at the fastest pace since the pandemic began but the death rate is in decline. The latest update on cases around the world logged more than 16 of the viruses per million people on the planet, which is the second-highest number since the disease emerged.
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Italian doctors claim the deadly virus has “enormously weakened” compared to when it ripped across the world earlier this year causing devastation in its wake.
Head of Milan’s San Raffaele Hospital, Dr Alberto Zangrillo says the disease is now much less lethal and “no longer clinically exists” in Italy.
Dr Zangrillo said newly infected patients are showing much milder symptoms and that the number of viruses in their system has decreased significantly, offering some much-needed good news.
Scientific theory suggests viruses may become weaker in order to survive, as killing or incapacitating too many human hosts will limit their capacity to spread.
Over the last seven days, the average number of cases diagnosed was 114,000 this was compared to an average of just 86,000 in the first week of May.
The statistics were driven rapidly by worsening outbreaks affected in South America, India and Russia.
However, deaths have not kept pace.
Today there were just 0.67 deaths per million people in the world, well below the all-time high of 1.35 per million on April 16.
What the experts said:
Matteo Bassetti, head of infectious diseases at the San Martino hospital in the city of Genoa reiterates Dr Zangrillo’s claim.
Dr Bassetti said: “The strength the virus had two months ago is not the same strength it has today.”
Dr Donald Yealy, a researcher at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center said today that he also believes “the virus is changing.”
“Some patterns suggest the potency is diminished”, he added, pointing to fewer positive tests coming back to his hospital and fewer patients requiring ventilators.
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Dr Zangrillo continued: “In reality, the virus clinically no longer exists in Italy.
“We’ve got to get back to being a normal country.
“Someone has to take responsibility for terrorising the country and I say we are well aware of the tragedy for those patients who didn’t make it, but we cannot continue to give all the attention to self-proclaimed professors rather than actual virologists and hospital workers.”
However not all medical professionals are celebrating too soon.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) have pushed back firmly against the idea that COVID-19 is potentially losing its potency.
Epidemiologist at WHO, Maria Van Kerkhove said: “In terms of transmissibility, that has not changed, in terms of severity, that has not changed.”
Martin Hibberd, a professor of emerging infectious disease at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, added that there is ‘currently no evidence’ to support the theory despite ongoing claims.
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