Nipah virus death reported in Bangladesh
In mid-December 2023, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) issued a warning to the country about Nipah virus, an infectious disease with a 70 percent fatality rate in Bangladesh.
DGHS warned people against eating partially eaten fruit, consuming the raw juice of dates, and advised them to wash fruit with water before eating.
In addition, they urged date juice collectors and vendors not to sell raw juice to anyone.
Today, officials in Manikganj report one confirmed case/death, the first of the year who died in hospital care in a Dhaka hospital.
Dr Lutfar Rahman, the acting district civil surgeon, confirmed the death. It is reported that he died from the Nipah virus after consuming date juice.
Nipah virus infections 2023: 20 cases reported in Bangladesh and India
Nipah virusĀ is a henipavirus spread through contact with infected animals (fruit bats or pigs), as well as food and materials contaminated with their saliva or urine. Nipah virus can also be spread from person to person through bodily fluids (blood, urine, or saliva).
SymptomsĀ range from mild to severe and typically appear in 4ā14 days following exposure to the virus. Signs and symptoms include fever, headache, cough, sore throat, difficulty breathing, vomiting, drowsiness, and confusion. In severe cases, infection can lead to swelling of the brain (encephalitis) and potentially death.
In 2023, Bangladesh reported a total of 14 Nipah cases and 10 deaths in seven districts.