The media learned about the success of the Chinese drug against COVID-19 in the fight against the Nipah virus

The drug, which was developed by Chinese scientists to combat the coronavirus, has demonstrated effectiveness in combating the Nipah virus. This was reported on January 28 by the South China Morning Post (SCMP) newspaper.

"Researchers have stated that a Chinese drug can help deal with outbreaks of the Nipah virus and prevent the spread of this deadly virus, for which there is no vaccine or cure," the publication says.

According to the newspaper, researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology have revealed that the antiviral agent VV116, previously intended for the treatment of COVID-19, has a high therapeutic effect for the treatment of the Nipah virus.

Tests of this drug on golden hamsters increased their survival rate to 66.7% and significantly reduced the level of the virus in the lungs, spleen and brain, the organs most vulnerable to infection.

According to Chinese scientists, the drug can be used not only as a preventive measure for groups at high risk of contracting the virus, including medical workers and laboratory staff, but also as an affordable medicine to combat outbreaks of Nipah.

The official representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Tarik Zhazarevich, said on January 27 that WHO assessed the risk of further spread of the Nipah virus as low, but stressed that due to insufficient knowledge of the pathogen, there is a possibility of its spread. According to him, the organization is actively cooperating with Indian medical institutions to assess the epidemiological risks associated with the identified cases of infection.

Prior to that, on January 25, Rospotrebnadzor reported that there were no cases of the Nipah virus imported from India in the Russian Federation. The press service also added that the Nipah virus can be transmitted to humans from animals, such as bats or pigs.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.