February 2020. Doc is determined to keep his team together and not let it fall apart: Giulia wants to move to Genoa, Lorenzo will perhaps leave medicine, Gabriel is leaving for Ethiopia, and Elisa also no longer seems interested in practicing at the hospital because she wants to spend a year on tropical diseases and join her boyfriend. Even Carolina doesn't want to think about Diagnostic Medicine, much to the chagrin of her father, who in the meantime doesn't seem to want to give up on Agnes. Giulia discovers she got pregnant after a night with Lorenzo. Cecilia Tedeschi, an infectious disease specialist and a study partner of Andrea and Agnese, arrives at the hospital. Meanwhile, a new virus from China comes to upset plans.

While the investigation conducted by Caruso gets to the bottom and starts unraveling the secrets of the pandemic, Andrea faces a difficult choice: in order to be the Chief again he has to take some exams, but if he fails them he won't be allowed to be a doctor anymore. Carolina, who bonded so much with Riccardo during the emergency, ponders if she'd like something more from him than friendship.