DHAKA: A woman has died after contracting the Nipah virus in Bangladesh, the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed. The deceased, aged between 40 and 50 years, was a resident of Naogaon district.
According to details, symptoms of the virus appeared on January 21, including fever, headache, excessive salivation, confusion, and seizures.
The woman’s condition deteriorated rapidly, and she passed away about a week later. Laboratory confirmation of the Nipah virus came a day after her death.
Health officials stated that the woman had recently consumed raw date palm sap, a known risk factor for Nipah virus transmission.
She had no recent travel history. After being admitted to hospital on January 28, blood and throat samples were collected, and the virus was confirmed in laboratory tests on January 29.
The WHO said that 35 individuals who came into close contact with the patient are currently under monitoring, and so far, no symptoms have been detected among them.
This case has emerged shortly after two Nipah virus cases were reported in India’s West Bengal, prompting several South Asian countries to strengthen health screening and surveillance measures at airports.
The WHO chief described Nipah as a rare but highly serious disease, stating that authorities are actively working to enhance disease surveillance, testing, prevention strategies, and public awareness to protect communities.
According to reports, around 348 Nipah virus cases have been recorded in Bangladesh since 2001. Nearly half of these cases were linked to the consumption of raw date palm sap. The fatality rate of the virus ranges from 40 percent to as high as 75 percent.
The WHO has emphasized that no specific vaccine or treatment is currently available for Nipah virus. The disease is primarily transmitted from bats to humans, often through contaminated fruits or raw date palm juice.
In response to regional concerns, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, and Pakistan, among other countries, have initiated temperature screening at airports. Singapore has also mandated 14 days of daily temperature and symptom monitoring for workers arriving from West Bengal.
