WHO says one person dead from Nipah virus in Bangladesh
Case follows recent infections in India; global health body says risk of international spread remains low
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday that a woman died in northern Bangladesh in January after contracting the deadly Nipah virus.
The Bangladesh case, where Nipah infections are reported almost every year, follows two recent cases identified in neighbouring India, prompting enhanced airport screening measures across parts of Asia.
The patient, a woman aged between 40 and 50 years, developed symptoms consistent with Nipah virus infection on January 21, including fever and headache, followed by hypersalivation, disorientation and convulsions, the WHO said. She died a week later, with the infection confirmed a day after her death.
According to the WHO, the woman had no travel history but had consumed raw date palm sap, a known risk factor for Nipah transmission. All 35 people who came into contact with her are currently under monitoring and have tested negative for the virus. No additional cases have been detected so far.
Nipah virus is a zoonotic infection that spreads mainly through food products contaminated by infected fruit bats. It can be fatal in up to 75 per cent of cases, although human-to-human transmission is limited.
Following the detection of cases in India’s West Bengal, countries including Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Pakistan have introduced temperature screening at airports as a precautionary measure.
The WHO said the risk of international spread is considered low and that it does not recommend any travel or trade restrictions at this time.
In 2025, Bangladesh reported four laboratory-confirmed fatal cases of Nipah virus infection. There are currently no licensed medicines or vaccines specifically approved to treat or prevent the disease.
