Macao and other parts of Asia are taking precautions following the recent outbreak of Nipah virus in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal.
According to the World Health Organisation, Nipah virus is a deadly disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans, spreading via contaminated food and contact with infected individuals.
With no cure currently available, Nipah virus can induce a range of symptoms such as headaches, fever and vomiting, as well as seizures and comas in more extreme cases. The fatality rate is thought to range between 40 to 75 percent.
In response to the current outbreak in India, Macao’s Health Bureau issued a statement on Monday, urging residents to avoid travelling to the impacted areas. Those already on the ground are advised to take preventive measures and to visit a doctor at the earliest instance if they begin to experience influenza-like symptoms upon returning to Macao.
Despite there being no direct flights between the SAR and India, the Health Bureau stated that it would boost entry screenings and medical checks across the city’s ports for passengers who possess the relevant travel history or exhibit symptoms.
According to an Indian government report yesterday, only two Nipah virus cases have been confirmed in West Bengal since last December. Meanwhile, 198 individuals connected to the two confirmed cases were “identified, traced, monitored, and tested,” with local authorities reporting that they all “tested negative” for Nipah virus.
Despite the low number of infections, various countries and territories in Asia have stepped up their screening and preventive measures for international travellers across airports and border crossings.
China is among these countries, although its National Disease Control and Prevention Administration said in a statement cited by China Daily that it did not consider the disease to be a major threat.
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“Its [Nipah virus] ability to survive in the general environment is weak, and the public [in China] has a low likelihood of exposure to infection,” the department noted, adding that the epicentre of the outbreak – West Bengal – does not share a border with China.
“However, the risk of imported cases remains, and precautionary measures should be strengthened,” the administration noted.
Other places that have tightened screening and preventive measures include Hong Kong, Thailand, Taiwan and Nepal. As of writing, none of these locations has reported any Nipah virus cases.
Although there is currently no dedicated medication for treating Nipah virus, Chinese scientists have recently discovered an oral Covid-19 drug known as VV116 that has shown effectiveness in combating the disease.
In a statement on Monday, the Wuhan Institute of Virology shared the results of its study, which was published in the journal Emerging Microbes & Infections in November 2025.
Based on tests conducted with golden hamsters, the researchers found that VV116 was able to boost the survival rate of the infected animals to 66.7 percent and decrease the amount of virus across organs such as the lung, spleen and brain.
“It [VV116] can be used not only as a preventive drug for high-risk groups such as healthcare workers and laboratory workers, but also as a readily available drug option for dealing with current and future Nipah virus outbreaks,” the institute wrote.
