Nipah virus spreads across 28 districts

Outbreaks of the deadly Nipah virus (NiV) have been confirmed in at least 28 districts of the country, prompting health authorities to take steps to tackle a surge in infection.

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), in a directive issued yesterday, asked authorities concerned to keep the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Dedicated Covid-19 Hospital ready in the wake of the alarming spread of the deadly virus.

The directive, signed by Dr Sheikh Daud Adnan, director (hospitals and clinics) of the DGHS, asked the hospital authorities to keep 10 beds at the isolation ward and 10 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds prepared, according to a press statement.

Recently, an alarming number of people from different districts, who have a history of taking raw date palm juice, are contacting the health authorities for testing, a source from the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) confirmed to the Business Post on Friday.

IEDCR are testing them gradually, the source added.

So far, the country has recorded five deaths from the virus. 

According to the IEDCR, the virus is the deadliest of all communicable diseases in Bangladesh with a 71% mortality rate. Since 2001, when the virus was first detected in the country, it has killed 327 people.

Earlier on January 29, Health Minister Zahid Malek described the outbreak situation as an unprecedented one.

“Eight people were infected with the Nipah virus and of them, five people died," he said at a press briefing over the Nipah virus outbreak at the Secretariat.

People who drink raw date juice and fruits partially eaten by birds, especially bats, have the possibility of being infected with the virus, Maleque said.

“Besides, healthy people who come in contact with the infected ones also have the possibility of being infected with the virus, and it spreads from person to person quickly, which is a matter of concern,” he added.

The government has taken steps to prevent the spread of the Nipah virus, said the minister, adding, “First of all we have to make people aware of the virus through the media.”

Besides, the government has taken steps to create dedicated wards and separate intensive care units at hospitals for providing treatment to the infected people.

According to IEDCR, Nipah virus was first detected in the country in 2001 in Meherpur. Then in 2003 Naogaon. However, its biggest outbreak occurred in 2004 in Faridpur district. There were 35 infected and 27 died.