China is testing HIV drugs as a treatment for symptoms of the new coronavirus as the global race for a cure continues.

Pharmaceutical research and development company AbbieVie Inc revealed on Sunday that Chinese health authorities requested supplies of Aluvia as an ad hoc treatment for pneumonia caused by 2019-nCov.

The Beijing branch of China’s National Health Commission confirmed the drug as part of its latest treatment plan for patients infected by virus, which has killed at least 80 people in China and sickened more than 2000 worldwide, including five in Australia.

Aluvia, which is sold as Kaletra in Australia, is a combination of the drugs lopinavir and ritonavir and comes in tablet form.

A Chinese government advisory circulated late last week suggested taking two lopinavir/ritonavir pills and inhaling a dose of nebulised alpha-interferon twice a day.

The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) is on his way to Beijing to meet with Chinese authorities to discuss ways to contain the outbreak.

“My WHO colleagues and I would like to understand the latest developments and strengthen our partnership with China in providing further protection against the outbreak,” Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Twitter.

I am on my way to Beijing, 🇨🇳 to meet with the Government & health experts supporting the #coronavirus response. My @WHO colleagues & I would like to understand the latest developments & strengthen our partnership with 🇨🇳 in providing further protection against the outbreak. — Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) January 26, 2020

The WHO has been criticised for holding back on declaring the new coronavirus, which was first detected at a Wuhan wet market late last month, a public health emergency.

The organisation yesterday said its advice on the situation had not changed, with the risk of contracting 2019-nCov remaining “very high” in China, “high” at regional level and “moderate” at a global level.

While the new coronavirus shares similar origins and characteristics to its deadly cousins SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome), it has a worrying characteristic that sets it apart – it’s contagious before any symptoms show.

“It’s very unusual for this type of virus to be infectious during incubation,” Australia’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Brendan Murphy told the ABC this morning.

“Similar viruses such as SARS and MERS were not. We don’t know what that means. Whether it’s a short period of the incubation period, we don’t really know.”

Authorities estimate the incubation period to be anything between one and 14 days, during which time carriers can unwittingly spread the disease without showing any outward signs of ill health.

So far the virus has infected almost 2000 people in China, with more than 300 of those in a serious or critical condition, according to the People’s Daily. Today the death toll was revised from 56 to 80.

It is feared tens of thousands more may have already contracted nCoV-2019, and China has given itself days to complete construction of two temporary hospitals to cope with the demand.

“Huoshenshan Hospital, a new facility providing 700 to 1000 beds for coronavirus patients in Wuhan, is expected to be handed over to the military on Feburay 2 upon completion,” the Daily said in a tweet.

“Leishenshan Hospital, which holds 1300 beds, would come into use on February 5.”

Huoshenshan Hospital, a new facility providing 700 to 1,000 beds for #coronavirus patients in #Wuhan, is expected to be handed over to the military on Feb 2 upon completion.



Leishenshan Hospital, which holds 1,300 beds, would come into use on Feb 5. pic.twitter.com/toHOzUpaga — People's Daily, China (@PDChina) January 26, 2020

The Government has placed around 50 million people in lockdown over the Lunar New Year holiday as part of its huge efforts to contain the outbreak.

The virus is making its way around the world with cases detected in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Canada, the US, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Nepal, France and Australia.

– with Reuters