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2010-01-23 05:29:44 - Epidemic Hazard - Bangladesh EDIS CODE: EH-20100123-24667-BGD
Date & Time: 2010-01-23 05:29:44 [UTC]
Area: Bangladesh, Dhaka, Farīdpur District, Number of death person(s): 3
Not confirmed information! Description: Three members of a family under Bhanga upazila of the district died within a week after they contracted encephalitis caused by Nipah virus. Faridpur Civil Surgeon Dr Bashirul Islam stating the report of Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research and National Influenza Centre, Bangladesh (IEDCR) yesterday confirmed the death of the three from Nipah virus that spread from the swab of bats. The dead were identified as Karuna Biswas, 30, of Algi village under Bhanga upazila, her daughter Dipti Biswas, 11, and nephew Sanu Biswas, 10. Family sources said Karuna Biswas, wife of Gourango Biswas, a fisherman of Algi, died on January 13 after she had a fever and headache. The same day her daughter Dipti Biswas was admitted to Bhanga Health Complex with the same symptoms. Later she was transferred to Faridpur Medical College Hospital and died there on January 16. Sanu Biswas, a nephew of Karuna and Gourango, also died of the same disease on January 17 at the Faridpur Medical College Hospital. All the three drank raw date juice before they contracted the disease, the family sources added. On information, a special team of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDRB) led by Faridpur Civil Surgeon Dr Bashirul Islam visited the village on Saturday and collected the sample of blood of the three. After examining the blood sample the IEDCR authorities identified the disease as encephalitis, says Dr Bashirul, adding that the disease originated from raw date juice contaminated by the swab of bats. All people of the district were advised to collect date juice covering the mouth of jars with nets so that bats cannot sink their tongues into the jar, he said. While talking to The Daily Star, Director of the IEDCR Prof Mahmudur Rahman said this is the first incidence of death due to Nipah virus this year. Last year encephalitis broke out in Rajbari and Manikganj. But very few people died because of the government's early detection programme. Under the programme a regular surveillance has been in place in Faridpur, Rajbari and Madaripur since 2006. The major outbreak took place in Faridpur in 2004 causing death to at least 17 people of Laxmipur village under Sadar upazila.
The name of Hazard: Nipah virus
Species: Human
Status: Confirmed
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