China is confident to contain COVID-19 by the end of April: Zhong Nanshan

Chinese top respiratory specialist Zhong Nanshan said on Thursday, February 27, although the
COVID-19 outbreak first appeared in China, that does not necessarily mean it originated here.
Zhong made the remarks at a press briefing jointly held by the Guangzhou government and
Guangzhou Medical University, in which Zhong noted that China is confident it will be able to
contain the COVID-19 outbreak by the end of April this year.
But Zhong pointed out the development of new drugs against COVID-19 is impossible to
complete in 20 days or even a month, which requires long-term accumulation.
According to Zhong, one COVID-19 patient can infect an average of two to three people, making
it more severe than SARS. However, he said that ideally, cured COVID-19 patients are unlikely to
be reinfected, referring to the news that 13 recovered and discharged patients from Guangzhou
tested positive again in checkups recently.
“Treatment first, research second,” said Zhong, noting that new drugs will be first carefully tested
in a controlled trial before they are used on patients.
Zhong also praised the timely intervention from Chinese government and nationwide joint
prevention and control efforts, which have successfully prevented a mass COVID-19 outbreak in
China.
Zhong also disclosed that he will share China’s experience with the European Respiratory Society
(ERS) this weekend through livestreaming.
More international cooperation is needed, including setting up a long-term mechanism, said the
Chinese respiratory specialist.