Nipah Infection: 100% mortality rate, children are the worse sufferers

Five nipah virus infected cases have been detected this year in the country and all of them died from the infection, said Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control, and Research (IEDCR).

IEDCR Director Professor Dr Tahmina Shirin revealed the information at a discussion titled “Spread and Risks of the Nipah Virus”, held at the IEDCR headquarters at Mohakhali in the capital on Thursday (December 19) afternoon.

She said in 2023, 13 nipah virus cases were detected in the country and among them three survived. The mortality rate was 77%. “But in 2024, four confirmed cases and one possible case have already been detected. Fatality rate for these cases is 100%.”

“The relatives of the infected patients delayed to bring them in the hospitals. Even one of them was brought death to the hospital,” she said adding that the cases were reported in four districts: Naogaon, Khulna, Shariatpur, and Manikganj.

According to the professor, all the patients had history of drinking date palm raw juice.

Analising the trend of nipah infection, she said, “Nipah infection that has no remedy and vaccine and children have become the worst sufferer.”

Since the first detection in 2001, the country confirmed a total of 343 cases, of whom 245 died. At present, 88 patients are under follow up.

Among the infected some 109 are aged six to 16 years, nearly 25% of the total number. Some 79 persons aged 18 to 30 years died from the infection.

According to IEDCR data, 343 individuals across 34 districts have been infected, with a mortality rate of 71%. Of these, 28% were cases of person-to-person transmission.

IEDCR Research Investigator Tonmoy Sarkar said that they have trained the juice collectors twice in 2008-2009 and 2013-2014. But the juice collectors do not follow the procedures accurately.