Nipah virus infection – Bangladesh
Situation at a glance
On 3 February 2026, the International Health Regulations National Focal Point (IHR NFP) for Bangladesh notified WHO of one confirmed case of Nipah virus (NiV) infection in Rajshahi Division.
The patient developed fever and neurological symptoms on 21 January. Nipah virus infection was laboratory-confirmed on 29 January. The patient reported no travel history but had a history of consuming raw date palm sap.
All 35 contact-persons are being monitored and have tested negative for NiV and no further cases have been detected to date. Bangladesh regularly has small NiV outbreaks, with cases reported at different times of the year, though outbreaks tend to occur between December and April corresponding with the harvesting and consumption of date palm sap. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in Bangladesh has implemented several public health measures.
WHO assesses the overall public health risk posed by NiV to be low at the national, the regional and global level. The risk of international disease spread is considered low.
