A very public dispute has broken out between some of Italy's, and the world's, most high-profile doctors after one expert claimed the coronavirus "no longer exists clinically.".

Alberto Zangrillo, the head of intensive care at the San Raffaele hospital in Milan in Lombardy (the epicenter of Italy's coronavirus outbreak), caused a stir on Sunday by telling Italian media that a study by his colleague had shown that the virus was losing its potency.

Zangrillo, who is well-known for being the personal doctor of Italy's former President Silvio Berlusconi, said the study showed the virus was weakening and that, "in reality, from the clinical point of view, the virus no longer exists.".

Just look at the number of new cases confirmed every day to have evidence of the persistent circulation of the virus in Italy," Italian news agency ANSA reported Monday.

That is not the case at all." Ryan said the WHO would need to look at the findings in more detail and said the results, and severity of illness, could be determined by an individual's level of exposure to the virus.

"It may not be the case that the virus is becoming less potent, it may be the case that we are, as a community and as a globe, are successfully reducing the number, intensity and frequency of exposure to that virus, which then on the face of it, then looks weaker."?

Matteo Bassetti, the director of the infectious diseases clinic of the San Martino hospital in Genoa also said Monday that the virus is no longer the same, based on his experience.