János Szlávik, the lead infectologist of Budapest’s South Pest Hospital Centre, said on Sunday that researchers have yielded valuable information on SARS-CoV-2 – the virus causing the novel coronavirus epidemic – in the past two months.
Speaking at the online press conference of the operative board coordinating the epidemic response, Szlávik said doctors are now aware of a multitude of atypical symptoms the virus can cause in the elderly, while children go through the infection virtually without symptoms. It also seems that mutations of the virus have so far not affected its basic characteristics, he added.
Regarding treatments of COVID-19, Szlávik said doctors are strengthening patients’ immune systems and using general anti-viral therapies. Patients in a grave condition are treated with the blood plasma of those recovered, he said.
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Szlávik also added that “there are promising news” on “one or two vaccines,” which possibly will be available by September.
featured photo: Attila Kovács/MTI