Nipah Virus Outbreak Mortality Increases in Bangladesh

Bangladesh Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque recently confirmed to local media eight people were infected with the Nipah virus in 2023. Of them, five people died.

".... drinking raw date juice, contaminated by bats carrying Nipah virus. And some Nipah virus-infected people can transmit the disease.

The minister said people should avoid eating fruits that are half eaten by birds and urged people not to drink raw date juice.

In 2022, Bangladesh reported three Nipah virus cases.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says Nipah virus infection is a zoonotic illness transmitted to people from animals and can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly from person-to-person.

In infected people, it causes a range of illnesses.

During the first recognized outbreak in Malaysia and Singapore in 1999, most human infections resulted from direct contact with sick pigs or their contaminated tissues.

This outbreak resulted in nearly 300 human cases and more than 100 related fatalities.

In subsequent outbreaks in Bangladesh and India, consuming fruits or fruit products (such as raw date palm juice) contaminated with urine or saliva from infected fruit bats was the most likely source of infection.

As of January 31, 2023, no Nipah virus vaccines are available, says the U.S. CDC.

The CDC does recommend several vaccinations, such as dengue, before visiting Bangladesh in 2023.