6 died so far of Nipah
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Six of the eight people infected with Nipah virus this month have died so far, Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) confirmed on Friday.
The dead are from Dhaka, Rajbari, Jhenidah, Naogaon, Natore and Gaibandha.
Yesterday, a man was in a critical condition at a private hospital in the capital.
On January 11, eight of his family drank raw date juice brought from Bhaluka, Mymensingh.
IEDCR Director Prof Mahmudur Rahman said, "Examination of his blood sample confirmed on Wednesday that he was infected with Nipah virus."
His eight-year-old son died of the virus on Tuesday.
Examinations of blood samples of the six others found no evidence of infection.
In Natore, a mother passed away while her eight-month-old baby has been infected.
People become infected with the virus after drinking raw date juice. The symptoms of the infection include fever, sneezing and cough, hysteria and respiratory problems. The highly contagious virus spreads through human contact.
The IEDCR has five regular surveillance sites in Rajshahi, Rangpur, Faridpur, Rajbari and Tangail. The infections have been detected there.
"Trained doctors asked the families if anybody among them had showed symptoms of infection and made sure that there were no more infections," said Prof Mahmudur.
Up until last year, 136 people died in Bangladesh of the virus out of 176 infected, mentioned Mahmudur.
He stressed that people showing symptoms must be admitted to hospitals immediately.
The physician warned all not to drink raw date juice to avoid contamination with the deadly virus. http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=266732
