7 Feb 2026 • The World Health Organization has confirmed a fatal case of Nipah virus infection in Bangladesh, while reiterating that the risk of international spread remains low.

The patient, a woman aged 40–50, developed fever and neurological symptoms in late January and died shortly after hospital admission, with laboratory confirmation of infection the following day. The case was officially reported to WHO under the International Health Regulations on 3 February 2026.

The update comes amid heightened regional vigilance following recent cases in eastern India, but WHO has emphasized that no travel or trade restrictions are warranted at this stage.

The patient had no travel history and had reportedly consumed raw date palm sap, a known exposure risk. Health authorities have stepped up surveillance, testing, and infection prevention measures, as WHO continues to classify the public health risk as low at national, regional, and global levels.

Source: Al-Jazeera | Read full story