February 7, 2026 | 04:53 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Friday that a woman in northern Bangladesh died in January after being infected with the Nipah virus, a rare but highly fatal zoonotic disease.
The case adds to recurring Nipah infections in Bangladesh, where outbreaks are reported almost every year, and follows the recent detection of two Nipah cases in neighboring India. The developments have prompted several Asian countries to heighten health screenings at airports.
According to WHO, the patient, a woman aged between 40 and 50, began experiencing symptoms on January 21, including fever and headache, which later progressed to excessive salivation, disorientation, and seizures.
She died about a week later, and laboratory tests subsequently confirmed Nipah virus infection.
The woman had no recent travel history but had reportedly consumed raw date palm sap, a known risk factor for Nipah transmission. The virus is commonly spread through food products contaminated by fruit bats, which are natural hosts of the pathogen.
WHO said all 35 individuals identified as close contacts of the patient are currently under monitoring and have tested negative for the virus. No additional cases have been detected so far.
Nipah virus can be fatal in up to 75 percent of cases, according to WHO. While human-to-human transmission is possible, it does not occur easily compared to other infectious diseases.
In response to the recent cases in India’s West Bengal state, several countries, including Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Pakistan, have implemented temperature screenings at airports as a precautionary measure.
Despite the heightened vigilance, WHO said the risk of international spread remains low and does not recommend travel or trade restrictions based on the current situation.
As of 2025, Bangladesh has reported four laboratory-confirmed fatal cases of Nipah virus infection.
Read: Nipah Virus Detected in Bats Across Indonesia
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