China now points out that VV116, a drug originally authorized for the treatment of Covid, has shown in laboratory tests a powerful ability to inhibit the virus. A Chinese drug developed to combat Covid-19 could become a new tool against one of the deadliest viruses known.

China has initiated screening of travelers arriving from Nipah virus outbreak areas, including India, with swab tests being conducted. While no cases have been detected in China and the risk is deemed low,

VV116 acts as a "prodrug" that suppresses viral replication. It essentially "jams" the machinery (RNA) the virus needs to replicate, effectively stopping the infection's lifecycle. Testing confirmed the drug's effectiveness against both the Malaysian (NiV-M) and the more virulent Bangladeshi (NiV-B) genotypes.

The virus has a fatality rate ranging from 40 per cent to 75 per cent, according to health experts. There is currently no approved vaccine or cure, making early containment and monitoring critical.

No Nipah virus cases had been detected in China as of Tuesday and the probability of infections in China remains low, the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration said in the wake of a recent outbreak in neighboring India.

China's newly revised Frontier Health and Quarantine Law, which was implemented last year, included the Nipah virus in its monitoring protocols. Customs authorities conduct screenings for incoming travelers from affected areas, and any suspected cases must be immediately isolated and referred to designated medical institutions.

From China's 'gold fever' sparking scandal to a tourist drought, here are highlights from SCMP's recent reporting We have selected seven stories from this week's news across Hong Kong, mainland China,

The Trump administration this week sent out an alert about the Nipah virus after two cases were confirmed in West Bengal, India