One died from Nipah virus in Bangladesh: WHO
The patient developed symptoms consistent with Nipah virus on 21 January and died on 28 January.
The World Health Organization said yesterday (6 February) that a woman had died in northern Bangladesh in January after contracting the deadly Nipah virus infection, reports Reuters.
Confirming the matter to The Business Standard, Dr Sultana, senior scientific officer at the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), said the woman died while undergoing treatment at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.
She advised people to avoid drinking raw date palm sap and eating partially eaten fruits to prevent Nipah virus infection.
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The case in Bangladesh, where Nipah cases are reported almost every year, follows two Nipah virus cases identified in neighbouring India, which have already prompted stepped-up airport screenings across Asia.
The patient in Bangladesh, aged between 40-50 years, developed symptoms consistent with Nipah virus on 21 January, including fever and headache, followed by hypersalivation, disorientation and convulsion, the WHO added.
She died a week later and was confirmed to be infected with the virus a day later.
The person had no travel history but had a history of consuming raw date palm sap. All 35 people who had contact with the patient are being monitored and have tested negative for the virus, and no further cases have been detected to date, the WHO said.
Nipah is an infection that spreads mainly through products contaminated by infected bats, such as fruit. It can be fatal in up to 75% of cases, but it does not spread easily between people.
Countries including Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Pakistan implemented temperature screenings at airports after India said cases of the virus had been found in West Bengal, reports Reuters.
The WHO said on Friday (6 February) that the risk of international disease spread is considered low and that it does not recommend any travel or trade restrictions based on current information.
In 2025, four laboratory-confirmed fatal cases were reported in Bangladesh.
There are currently no licensed medicines or vaccines specific to the infection.
