China's National Disease Control and Prevention Administration confirmed on Tuesday that no Nipah virus cases have been detected in the country, but following the recent outbreak in India's West Bengal, it conducted a risk assessment deeming the immediate impact low. The nation has built a robust defense system over years, including specialized guidelines since 2021.
China reports no Nipah virus cases amid Indian outbreak
China's National Disease Control and Prevention Administration (NDPA) confirmed on Tuesday that no Nipah virus cases have been detected in the country to date. The virus, first identified globally in 1998, is primarily carried by fruit bats and spreads to humans through direct contact with infected animals, contaminated food, or bodily fluids of infected individuals. The NDPA stated that the recent outbreak in India's West Bengal poses a low immediate risk to China due to geographical distance and the virus's characteristics. This cluster has confirmed at least five cases, with around 100 close contacts quarantined, and a fatality rate of about 45 to 70 percent.
Although the threat level is minimal, China has operated under specialized technical guidelines for Nipah virus prevention and control since 2021. These protocols standardize monitoring, reporting, laboratory testing, clinical diagnosis, and disinfection. Local disease control centers nationwide are equipped with laboratory capacity for swift detection and confirmation. China has developed independent nucleic acid testing methods and maintains a strategic reserve of domestically produced emergency diagnostic kits to identify any potential imported cases without delay.
The virus causes severe respiratory and neurological symptoms, including fever, coughing, breathing difficulties, headache, and dizziness, with a fatality rate ranging from 40 to 75 percent. It does not survive well outside a host, limiting public exposure risk in daily activities. There are currently no targeted therapeutics or vaccines.
The NDPA is closely monitoring the overseas situation, enhancing personnel training, and strengthening border response capabilities. It is also focusing on public education to urge travelers to affected areas to maintain hygiene and avoid contact with livestock or bats.
Additionally, Chinese researchers shared findings on Tuesday about VV116, an oral antiviral drug originally approved for COVID-19, which shows significant activity against Nipah virus. In hamster trials, it boosted survival from a lethal dose to 66.7 percent and reduced viral load in lungs, spleen, and brain. The Wuhan Institute of Virology called it 'the first demonstration of VV116's therapeutic potential against Nipah virus' and a 'readily available' option for prevention in high-risk groups and managing outbreaks. The study, led by teams from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, and Vigonvita Life Sciences, was published in November in Emerging Microbes & Infections.
China stresses that while import risks remain, precautionary measures are being strengthened.
