Bangladesh reports confirmed Nipah Virus case – WHO
Bangladesh has reported a confirmed case of Nipah virus infection in the Rajshahi Division, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The International Health Regulations National Focal Point for Bangladesh notified WHO of the case on 3 February 2026.
The patient developed fever and neurological symptoms on 21 January and tested positive for Nipah virus on 29 January through polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay testing. According to WHO, the patient had no travel history but reported consuming raw date palm sap, a known risk factor for Nipah virus transmission in Bangladesh.
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The patient was a woman between 40 and 50 years old from Naogaon District. She initially experienced fever, headache, muscle cramps, loss of appetite, weakness, and vomiting. Her condition later worsened with excessive salivation, disorientation, and convulsions. On 27 January, she lost consciousness and was referred to a tertiary hospital. She was admitted on 28 January, samples were collected by the Nipah surveillance team, and she died the same day.
Following laboratory confirmation, an outbreak investigation team that included One Health stakeholders began field investigations on 30 January. Health authorities identified 35 contact persons, including household, community, and hospital contacts. Six contacts who developed symptoms provided samples for testing, and all tested negative for Nipah virus. As of 3 February, no additional cases have been detected, and all identified contacts remain under monitoring.
WHO said Bangladesh continues to report small Nipah virus outbreaks at different times of the year, with cases occurring most often between December and April. This period coincides with the harvesting and consumption of raw date palm sap. Bangladesh reported its first Nipah virus infection in 2001 and has recorded human cases almost every year since. In 2025, the country reported four laboratory-confirmed fatal cases.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has implemented public health measures in response to the case. WHO assessed the overall public health risk posed by Nipah virus as low at the national, regional, and global levels. The organization also said the risk of international spread remains low.
Nipah virus infection is a zoonotic disease that spreads to humans through infected animals such as fruit bats or through food contaminated with saliva, urine, or excreta, and it can also transmit between people through close contact. Fruit bats, also called flying foxes of the Pteropus species, serve as the natural hosts. The incubation period usually ranges from three to 14 days, though rare cases have extended up to 45 days. Laboratory confirmation relies on a combination of tests during acute and recovery phases, including RT-PCR from bodily fluids and antibody detection using ELISA. Human infections range from no symptoms to acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis. Early symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, and sore throat, followed in severe cases by dizziness, altered consciousness, neurological signs, pneumonia, acute respiratory distress, seizures, and rapid progression to coma within one to two days. – WHO
Category: Health alert
