"Coronavirus can be defeated," says virologist who investigated the HIV and Ebola epidemics.

247 - In an interview with the newspaper The GlobeOn Tuesday (17), UERJ professor and virologist Amílcar Tanuri discusses the new coronavirus and its impacts in Brazil and the world. 

Amílcar is internationally recognized for his work in combating the HIV epidemic, investigating H1N1, dengue fever, and chikungunya, as well as for his trips to Africa during the height of the worst Ebola epidemic. 

Regarding the spread of the coronavirus, the virologist replied: “We still don’t know. But this virus is very widespread, very widespread indeed.” 

In Brazil, Amílcar said that “the next four weeks will be crucial. But there are three possible scenarios.” “The first and most likely scenario could be similar to what we saw in China. It emerges, causes an explosion of cases, and then the epidemic fades. Nothing prevents it from resurfacing later, but in isolated outbreaks. The second scenario is that it becomes a seasonal infection. At this moment, I think that's less likely. And then there's the worst-case scenario.”