The World Health Organization has confirmed the first Nipah virus death of 2026 in Bangladesh, with a woman in her forties dying after consuming raw date palm sap contaminated with the deadly pathogen. The case, reported on February 7, has prompted expanded disease surveillance across the Rajshahi Division, though WHO officials emphasize the risk of international spread remains low.
The patient, a female aged between 40 and 50 years from Naogaon District in northwestern Bangladesh, first developed symptoms on January 21, including fever, headache, muscle cramps, loss of appetite, and vomiting. Her condition rapidly deteriorated with the onset of neurological symptoms including hypersalivation, disorientation, and convulsions. She became unconscious on January 27 and was referred to a tertiary hospital, where she was admitted on January 28 and died the same day.
Investigators confirmed the patient had repeatedly consumed raw date palm sap between January 5 and 20, the primary transmission route for Nipah virus in Bangladesh. The virus is transmitted to humans through contact with infected fruit bats or their contamination of food products, particularly date palm sap harvested during the winter months when outbreaks typically peak between December and April.
Health authorities have identified and tested 35 contact persons, including three household contacts, 14 community contacts, and 18 hospital contacts. Samples were collected from six symptomatic individuals, and all 35 contacts have tested negative for the virus with no further cases detected to date. The Bangladesh Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research confirmed the infection through PCR and ELISA testing on January 29.
Nipah virus remains one of the deadliest known pathogens with no licensed vaccines or specific treatments available. Since 2001, Bangladesh has documented 348 Nipah virus cases resulting in 250 deaths, representing a staggering 72 percent case fatality rate. Nearly half of these primary cases had confirmed histories of consuming raw date palm sap, while 29 percent resulted from person-to-person transmission.
The WHO stated the risk at national and regional levels is considered moderate due to the virus's high fatality rate and transmission potential, but the risk of international spread remains low. Health authorities are urging residents to avoid consuming raw date palm sap and to ensure proper hygiene practices, particularly in areas where fruit bats are known to be present. The organization continues to monitor the situation while supporting Bangladesh's enhanced surveillance efforts.
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