Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in a press release on Friday (Feb 3) said Nipah virus has been detected in 28 districts of the country.

It said that as Nipah virus infection rate is raising in the country, it has been requested to prepare 10-bed isolation ward and 10-bed ICU at DNCC Covid-19 Dedicated Hospital at Mohakhali in the capital.

Health Minister Zahid Malik recently in a press conference said that eight people have been infected with Nipah virus this season out of which five of them died, and the death rate of this virus is 70 percent.

According to Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) data, Nipah virus was first detected in the country in 2001 at Meherpur. 

However, its biggest outbreak occurred in 2004 at Faridpur district, 35 people were then infected and 27 died.

BDST: 1544 HRS, FAB 03, 2023
MSK