[dgritsko]

My understanding was that because this virus can spread presymptomatically or even asymptomatically, there is little or no evolutionary pressure for it to become less deadly. It can easily spread to many people before the host even knows that they have it. Maybe I'm misunderstanding things, but if that is the case then it would seem that the normal "rules" for the virus becoming less deadly over time don't really apply.

[parliament32]

There's also no evolutionary incentive for it to be more deadly either. From the perspective of the virus, it has no incentive to kill its host -- if anything, it would want to keep them alive (and functioning) for as long as possible.

[Johnjonjoan]

You're right for the short term but (in the hypothetical case it becomes deadlier) once we are aware it has becomes deadlier, our behaviour will change and reduce transmission.