Nipah spreads beyond season, first-ever case detected in Bhola: IEDCR
All four infected patients detected last year have died
Highlights
- Nipah spread beyond seasonal window, including August cases
- First-ever Nipah detection reported in Bhola district
- All 2024–2025 infections fatal, mortality rate 100%
- Overall fatality 73% since 2001, 241 deaths
- No vaccine; avoid raw date palm sap to prevent it
Nipah infections spread in Bangladesh outside the usual seasonal window while the virus was detected for the first time in Bhola district last year, according to the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).
Moreover, all four people infected with the virus last year died, highlighting the continued severity of the disease, said IEDCR officials during a meeting on Nipah's spread and risks at the institute's auditorium today (7 January).
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IEDCR Director Prof Tahmina Shirin said between 2001 and 2025, a total of 357 people in the country were infected with the Nipah virus, of whom 241 died, putting the overall fatality rate at 73%.
She added that the mortality rate among patients infected in 2024 and 2025 was 100%, as all four passed away.
Nipah is considered a seasonal disease as cases are typically reported between December and April. However, infections were also detected in August 2025, indicating that there may be sources of transmission other than raw date palm sap, said Prof Shirin.
She also noted that last year, Nipah was detected for the first time in Bhola, a district where the virus had never been identified before.
As part of precautionary measures, Prof Shirin advised people not to purchase date palm sap, even via online platforms.
"We will promote pitha festivals, not sap festivals," she said, urging people to seek advice from registered physicians immediately if any symptoms appear after consuming date palm sap.
IEDCR Senior Scientific Officer Sharmin Sultana said there is currently no approved medicine or vaccine against the Nipah virus. Avoiding raw date palm sap remains the most effective way to prevent infection, she said, adding that the virus can also spread from person to person through close contact.
She explained that the incubation period ranges from two to 28 days after consuming date palm sap. In cases of human-to-human transmission, the incubation period is nine to 11 days.
She advised that individuals showing symptoms after consuming date palm sap should be kept in isolation for at least 28 days to prevent further transmission.
According to IEDCR data, Nipah virus cases have so far been detected in 35 of the country's 64 districts. The highest number of cases have been reported in Faridpur, Rajbari, Naogaon, and Lalmonirhat.
Symptoms of Nipah virus infection include fever, headache, breathing difficulties, vomiting, cough, abnormal behaviour, neck and muscle pain, and loss of consciousness.
Experts advised against eating fruits partially eaten by birds or animals and stressed the importance of washing fruits thoroughly before consumption.
They also urged people to wash their hands with soap and water after contact with infected individuals. Anyone showing symptoms has been advised to seek immediate treatment at the nearest government hospital.
