ZCZC
BSS-05
MEETING-IEDCR-NiV
Experts emphasize on awareness to check Nipah virus
DHAKA, Feb 19, 2019 (BSS) – Experts at a programme today laid emphasis
on creating awareness to prevent spread of Nipah virus (NiV) across the
country.
“Already the government has achieved tremendous success in reducing the
spreading rate of NiV in last few years by creating awareness among people,”
said Director of Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research
(IEDCR) Professor Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora.
She was speaking at a views exchange meeting with media persons at IEDCR
auditorium in city’s Mohakhali area.
But govt’s only disease monitoring wing IEDCR now stressing on
cautionary steps again as people have started consuming date palm sap in
different festivals.
“Nowadays people are celebrating ‘Rosh Utsab’ in every winter, which can
be deadly if NiV found even in one pot of date palm sap, said IEDCR Senior
Scientific Officer Dr ASM Alamgir.
IEDCR suggested to consume the sap after boiling, making it free of the
deadly virus.
The journalists present at the meeting also gave their suggestions for
creating awareness in this regard.
The latest outbreak of Nipah virus had been reported in Bangladesh in
2013, with 24 cases and 21 deaths till 02 April 2013.
Fourteen districts had been affected, namely, Gaibandha, Natore,
Rajshahi, Naogaon, Rajbari, Pabna, Jhenaidah, Mymensingh, Nilphamari,
Chittagong, Kurigram, Kustia, Magura, and Manikganj.
The virus is believed to have been transmitted by drinking of Nipah-
contaminate raw date palm sap in all these cases. Human Nipah virus infection
is an emerging zoonotic disease spread from fruit bats. In South-East Asia
Region, the disease had been reported in Bangladesh and India.
BSS/ASG/DH/1548 Hrs