Daijiworld Media Network – Dhaka

Dhaka, Feb 7: The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday confirmed that a patient in Bangladesh has died after contracting the Nipah virus, but reassured that the risk of the disease spreading internationally remains low.

The patient, a woman aged between 40 and 50 from Naogaon district, was admitted to hospital on January 28. Laboratory tests confirmed Nipah virus infection the following day. She had no recent travel history but had consumed raw date palm sap, a known source of transmission.

WHO said 35 contact persons have been tested so far, with no additional cases detected. Since 2001, Bangladesh has reported around 348 Nipah virus cases, about half linked to raw date palm sap consumption. Outbreaks typically occur seasonally between December and April, coinciding with the sap harvest.

While the virus carries a high fatality rate of 40–75 percent, WHO stressed there are currently no travel or trade restrictions necessary and noted that disease surveillance, testing, and prevention measures are being strengthened in affected areas.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described Nipah as a “rare but serious disease” and highlighted ongoing efforts to keep the public informed and safe.