Bangladesh - 36 dead from Nipah Virus

[alert]

Re: Bangladesh - 24 dead from Nipah Virus

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=173039

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Nipah kills 4 more

Prevention stressed as no specific treatment or vaccine available
Staff Correspondent Nipah encephalitis claimed four more lives in Rangpur and Lalmonirhat, raising the death toll to 24.

The government sources, however, said 16 people died of the disease in last few days and 23 people are taking treatment at Rangpur Medical College and Hospital (RMCH) and Hatibandha Sadar Hospital.

"There is no specific treatment or vaccine against the disease across the globe. So prevention, early diagnosis and symptom management are the best ways to fight the disease," said Health Minister AFM Ruhal Haque.

He told The Daily Star yesterday it would take another five to six days to understand the gravity of the situation.

Different teams of the health ministry are carrying out massive campaigns to raise awareness and taking cautionary measures in the affected areas to contain the disease, he added.

They are asking people to see a doctor if symptoms like high fever, headache, drowsiness, convulsion and respiratory difficulties are noticed.

Doctors and scientists are observing people and suggesting that they should not drink raw date juice, consume half eaten fruits and vegetables to not get exposed to the virus. People also should wash their hands with soap after coming in contact with patients.

Subodh Kumar Kundu, head of the visiting team and principal scientific officer of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), said if people take precautions now, the situation will be under control within two to three weeks since the incubation period of the virus is three weeks.

Swarna, 4, and Mahbub, 16, of Dakshin Goddimari village of Lalmonirhat, and Insan Ali and Monsur Ali, of Rangpur, have died in last 36 hours, reports our correspondent from Lalmonirhat.

The number of victims is more than what the government has declared as it is not counting the deaths at the private clinic or hospitals, reports our Rangpur correspondent.

For example, Insan Ali was shifted from RMCH to Islamic Community Hospital and he died there yesterday. But the team did not consider his case as a Nipah fatality.

Meanwhile, the local administration has declared all schools in Hatibandha upazila closed for six days from Saturday to control the spread of the disease.

Scientists said Nipah encephalitis is not a new disease in the country. As many as 10 districts have been affected by the disease since its first outbreak in 2001. The districts are Meherpur, Naogaon, Rajbari, Faridpur, Tangail, Thakurgaon, Kushtia, Manikganj, Rangpur and Lalmonirhat.

The outbreak in Faridpur in 2004 caused 27 deaths out of 36 affected people at that time. The disease usually shows up between December and May.

The government is running surveillance programme in the ten districts.

[Laidback Al]

Re: Bangladesh - 24 dead from Nipah Virus

Scientists said Nipah encephalitis is not a new disease in the country. As many as 10 districts have been affected by the disease since its first outbreak in 2001. The districts are Meherpur, Naogaon, Rajbari, Faridpur, Tangail, Thakurgaon, Kushtia, Manikganj, Rangpur and Lalmonirhat.

Location map of previous Nipah outbreaks in Bangladesh.

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Bangladesh - 24 dead from Nipah Virus, 23 under treatment

Seems to follow the pattern of the north western waterways;

[Treyfish]

Re: Bangladesh - 24 dead from Nipah Virus, 23 under treatment

7 more infected with Nipah




Star Online Report
At least seven people have reportedly been infected with Nipah encephalitis in different upazilas of Rangpur on Sunday.

The infected---Md Haidul Haq, 30, Sadiya, 40, Md Manir, 32, Md Nazrul Islam, 52, of Shyampur village and Mintu Miah of Mirbagh village of Kawnia upazila, Md Sirajul Islam, 48 and Asma Begum of Matherpar village in Pirgacha upazila were admitted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH).

Visiting the area, Rejaul Karim, civil surgeon of Rangpur, said the patients might have been exposed to Nipah encephalitis, reports our Rangpur correspondent.

The outbreak of the disease has claimed at least 24 lives in Rangpur and Lalmonirhat in last few days.http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesig....php?nid=28326

[Treyfish]

Re: Bangladesh - 24 dead from Nipah Virus, 23 under treatment

Schools shut as 3 more die

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Staff Correspondent
The government on Saturday intensified surveillance and preventive measures at Hatibandha to stop further spread of nipah encephalitis which claimed 23 lives, mostly children, in five days, three of them in 48 hours since Friday.
It also shut down for a week all the schools in the affected upazila in Lalmonirhat for a week.
Health officials, however, confirmed 15 deaths in five days till Saturday.
But according to locals, the swift killer took 23 lives in five days ending Saturday morning.
Officials of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research in Dhaka confirmed the death of one patient at Rangpur on Saturday.
It took the institute four days to identify the disease, which causes an acute brain inflammation.
Caused by nipah virus, encephalitis is a swift killer, said doctors.
Rangpur Medical College Hospital director Toufiqur Rahman said Swarna, 4, daughter of Jahangir, and Mahbub, 16, son of Nazir Ali of Dakkhin Goddimari village of Hatibandha upazila, died in the hospital on Friday and Saturday.
Sources in the hospital said Mansur Ali, 42, who was first taken to a local clinic, but was denied admission after being suspected to have contracted nipah encephalitis, was rushed to Rangpur Medical College Hospital, where died at about 7:10pm.
Hospital sources said 24 nipah-infected people were being treated in RMCH, Gangachara health complex in Rangpur and Hatibandha health complex in Lalmonirhat on Saturday.
Villagers said that Insan Ali of Kaunia in Rangpur had died of nipah encephalitis at his house. The actual cause of the death is yet to be confirmed.
The health minister, Ruhal Haq, IEDCR director Mahmudur Rahman and IEDCR senior scientific officer Mushtaq Hossain, who are leading a team of experts at Hatibandha, urged the people not to panic and to be cautious.
They said that special measures had already been taken to prevent spread of nipah infection.
Although no nipah case in the affected area is found to have been caused through person to person contact, the families have been kept under surveillance, said Mahmudur and Mushtaq.
Doctors advised people to avoid drinking raw date juice or eating fruits partially eaten by bats, considered the carriers of nipah virus.
The patients? case histories showed that they all had taken date juice, they said.
Health officials said that the government posted more doctors and nurses from nearby districts in the
affected areas on deputation.http://newagebd.com/newspaper1/frontpage/7794.html

[Treyfish]

Re: Bangladesh - 24 dead from Nipah Virus, 23 under treatment

Death toll rises to 23, Nipah virus situation starts improving


"With the rise in the temperatures, the Nipah virus will automatically become inactive to further improve the situation to bring complete normalcy soon "


Sunday February 06 2011 01:39:13 AM BDT


The death toll from Nipah virus infections rose to 23 with more death reports from different villages in Lalmonirhat and Rangpur despite little improvement in the overall situation during the past 24 hours.(BSS)

Officials confirmed two more deaths at Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH) on Friday night but could not confirm the other three deaths as Nipah virus related in Rangpur during the past three days.

"We have confirmed 16 Nipah virus related deaths so far of Hatibandha people in Lalmonirhat and are conducting investigations about the other three deaths in Kawnia, Pirgachha and Gangachara upazilas in Rangpur," they said.

After struggling with his life for the past few days at the RMCH, minor boy Sorbo, 2, son of Jahangir and Mahbub, 15, son of Nazir Hossain of village Dakshin Goddimari under Hatibandha upazila in Lalmonirhat died on Friday night.

"We are investigating into the deaths of Lubna, 14, of Gangachara, Insan, 13, of Kawnia and Tamanna, 4, of Pirgachha in Rangpur to become sure about the reasons of these deaths," Rangpur Divisional Director of Health Dr Shahadat Hossain said.

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Motahar Hossain MP on Saturday attended a meeting at Hatibandha upazila parishad auditorium along with the senior experts from Dhaka and discussed the latest Nipah virus situation there.

Meanwhile, the health officials, experts, scientists and researchers have been continuing enhanced health education, awareness building and motivational works in the affected areas to check further spread of the viral disease. The experts suggested the local villagers not to drink or eat date juice or molasses, half-eaten or tasted fruits or betel leaves by Nipah virus infected bats or birds and said that the situation has already improved largely on Saturday.

"With the rise in the temperatures, the Nipah virus will automatically become inactive to further improve the situation to bring complete normalcy soon in the area," Dr Shahadat Hossain told BSS at 5:15 pm on Saturday.http://newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord=347594

[Treyfish]

Re: Bangladesh - 24 dead from Nipah Virus, 23 under treatment

3 more die of encephalitis→ Our Correspondent

<SCRIPT type=text/javascript><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-6997572207875846"; /* 300x250, created 10/18/10 */ google_ad_slot = "3790115458"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; //--> </SCRIPT><SCRIPT type=text/javascript src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/expansion_embed.js"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT src="http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/test_domain.js"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/render_ads.js"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT>google_protectAndRun("render_ads.js ::google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);</SCRIPT>Rangpur: Three more people, including a four-year old girl, died reportedly of encephalitis in Rangpur district since Friday evening.

Of the victim, Mahabub Hossain, 18, of Dakkhin Guddimari under Hatibanda upazila died at Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH) on Saturday and Insan Ali, 28,of Shyampur village under Kawnia upazilla died at a private clinic on Friday night.

Four-year-old Shwarna, daughter Jahangir Alam of Hatibanda, died on Friday night.

Civil Surgeon Shah Mohamad Rezaul Karim of the district said Insan Ali –one of the three victims— did not die of encephalitis. “Insan died of typhoid,” said Karim referring to a report of the hospital.

Insan’s brother Nurul Amin said Insan was suffering from fever and severe headache for few days. Insan was admitted to RMCH on Friday noon and then shifted to Islami Community Hospital in the afternoon where he died at night.

The civil surgeon said a six-member team was formed to keep strict vigilance to check the spread of the disease.

Zakir Hussein, head of medicine department of RMCH, said four people were undergoing treatment for encephalitis at the hospital on Saturday.

He also suggested that anybody having symptoms of being affected by Nipah virus be admitted to hospital immediately.

RMCH Director Dr Toufiqul Islam said the hospital is now on red alert. Leave of all physicians and nurses was cancelled following the outbreak of the disease.

Meanwhile, a group students of Hatibanda formed a human chain in front of Rangpur press club on Saturday demanding proper treatment of the people affected with Nipah virus.

http://www.daily-sun.com/?view=details&type=daily_sun_news&pub_no=120&cat_id=1&menu_id=2&news_type_id=1&index=7

<SCRIPT src="http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/test_domain.js"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/render_ads.js"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT>google_protectAndRun("render_ads.js ::google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);</SCRIPT><SCRIPT>google_protectAndRun("render_ads.js ::google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);</SCRIPT>

[Vibrant62]

Re: Bangladesh - 24 dead from Nipah Virus, 23 under treatment

There is a good review of what is known at CIDRAP (lots of areas highlighted for further study)

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/biosecurity/ag-biosec/anim-disease/nipah.html

To quote one section:

Environmental Survival
Unknown: This is a point of concern for control and eradication programs. Source: Pig Disease Information Centre (see References).

Back to top

Hosts
Nipah virus has been shown to cause clinical disease in swine and humans as well as serologic changes in several common farm animals and in various bat species.

Natural reservoir: The virus's natural reservoir includes three species of Pteropid fruit bat (also referred to as flying foxes). Many Malaysian piggeries have nectar-bearing fruit trees on their property, which would offer the opportunity for introduction of the virus into their swine herds (see References: Enserink 2000).
Affected hosts: Pigs, humans, and possibly one dog have been reported with clinical illness caused by Nipah virus (see References: Nor 1999).
Potential seropositive animals: Rats, cats, dogs, goats, horses. It is unknown at this time whether seropositive animals could be a source of disease transmission.


In other words, whilst bats are the most likely source, without further analysis and investigation it is not possible to definitively state that all infections are arising from bat contaminated date palm juice, as opposed to h2h transmission.

One other point to note is that even if this is the case, it would seem that the Nipah virus has become more transmissible to humans otherwise this would be an annual occurance on this scale. As such some wider long term measures may be necessary to prevent this becoming a serious problem in the future.

[Treyfish]

Re: Bangladesh - 24 dead from Nipah Virus, 23 under treatment

Sunday, February 6, 2011
<FIELDSET><!--

-->Don?t take raw juice of dates, half-eaten fruits: IEDCR

Seven more infected with Nipah

</FIELDSET>
UNB, Dhaka
To prevent the Nipah infection, the Institute of Epidemiology Diseases Control and Research (IEDCR) has suggested the countrymen not to take raw juice of dates and half-eaten fruits.

A Health Directorate message on Sunday said the expert teams are working round the clock at the government hospitals in Nipah prevalent areas.

Describing Nipah as a viral disease that infects people through the bats, the message said that the main symptoms of Nipah is that the infected people initially develop influenza-like symptoms of fever, headaches, myalgia (muscle pain), vomiting and sore throat.

It also suggested the people to take fruits only after washing those with clean water and send any suspected patients immediately to the nearest hospitals.

?Wash hands with soap if you come close to any infected people,? the message said.

Seven more infected

At least seven people have reportedly been infected with Nipah encephalitis in different upazilas of Rangpur on Sunday.

The infected---Md Haidul Haq, 30, Sadiya, 40, Md Manir, 32, Md Nazrul Islam, 52, of Shyampur village and Mintu Miah of Mirbagh village of Kawnia upazila, Md Sirajul Islam, 48 and Asma Begum of Matherpar village in Pirgacha upazila were admitted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH).

Visiting the area, Rejaul Karim, civil surgeon of Rangpur, said the patients might have been exposed to Nipah encephalitis, reports our Rangpur correspondent.

The outbreak of the disease has claimed at least 24 lives in Rangpur and Lalmonirhat in last few days.http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesig....php?nid=28326

[Shiloh]

Re: Bangladesh - 24 dead from Nipah Virus, 23 under treatment

Source: http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?id=186588&cid=13

'Nipah seems under control'
Sun, Feb 6th, 2011 5:57 pm BdST


Dhaka, Feb 6 (bdnews24.com) ? The spread of Nipah virus at Hatibandha in Lalmonirhat appears under control 'for the time being' as there is no report of fresh infection, says the Institute of Epidemiology Diseases Control and Research (IEDCR).

Dr Mushtak Hossain, who is now leading an IEDCR team in Lalmonirhat, told bdnews24.com on Sunday that they have not heard of any new patient being affected. "That means the spread of this virus is under control for the time being."

The IEDCR experts, however, asked people not to get panicked over Nipah contamination.

The IEDCR expert team is working in the Nipah-affected Hatibandha area. So far, 17 of the 24 affected people have died of Nipah infection.

According to the IEDCR, 24 people have so far been affected. Those who have been in direct contact of the infected people are now under surveillance, said Hossain, a senior scientist.

The outbreak of the virus was first marked a week back in the area. A team of IEDCR started working to identify the cause on Wednesday following a number of deaths.

According to World Health Organisation, Nipah virus causes severe illness characterised by inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or respiratory diseases.

This virus was found in Bangladesh for the first time in 2001.Though the government's disease control department keeps an eye out for such outbreaks every year, the virus has so far killed 127 people out of 174 affected, including the recent deaths.

Nipah generally spreads between December and April when fruit bats perch on the jars used for collecting the sap of palm or date trees. They usually leave saliva and droppings in the jars.

People are infected when they drink raw juice. Thereafter it spreads through person-to-person contact.

It can be transmitted to humans from animals, and can also be transmitted directly from human to human. In Bangladesh, half of the reported cases between 2001 and 2008 were due to human-to-human transmission, the WHO website says.

The IEDCR suggests nursing patients carefully. Those who take care of patients should wash their hands with soap and use mask to protect themselves, the director said.

"Patient's cough and spit should be collected in a pot so that it can be buried," the organisation advised.

bdnews24.com/nih/mi/mah/shk/mr/1750h

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Bangladesh - 24 dead from Nipah Virus, 23 under treatment

Fatality list.

Feb 1;

1. Sabina, 3, Saniazan Char Village, Hatibandha
2. Sajjad Hossain, 3, Tongvanga (Tongbhanga) Village, Hatibandha died at Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH)
3. Raijak Miah, 32, Genduguri village, Hatibandha , Dhaka Medical College Hospital)
4. Aronno (Aranya) Ghos (Ghosh), 8, Hatibandha Town

Feb 2;

5. Azizul Islam, 30 (32), Baraipara, died RMCH
6. Anwara Begum, 45
7. Kajol Islam, 8, South Singimari, RMCH
8. Yasmin Akhter, 4, Amjol, RMCH
9. Nishad (Nishat), 3, Kazir Chowra, RMCH
10. Anonya (Annonna, Ananya) Ghosh (Ghos, Ghose), sister of #4, Dhaka Sheikh Mujib Medical University
11. Gourob Roy, 2, Tongvanga village
12. Sadequi, 22, Tongvanga village, RMCH
13. Tamanna, 4, Pirgachha upazilla (Prgachha upazila), Rangpur, Doctor's Clinic
14. Zafar Ali, 40, South Goddimari village, Hatibandha Health Complex

Feb 3;

15. Sudipta Roy, 10, (11), Dhaa Shishu Hospital
16. Abdul Karim, 23, West Bejpur, released from RMCH, died at home
17. Khairul Islam, 50, Tongvanga village

Feb 4;

18. Bachchu Miah (Miya), 55 (56), Baraipara village
19. Asadul Islam, 14 (18), Gendukuri
20. Jaynal Abedin, 42, South Goddimari, RMCH
21. Lubna, 14, South Kolkan village, Rangpur
22. Swarna, 4, Dakshin Goddimari village, RMCH

Feb 5;

23. Mansur Ali, 42, RMCH
24. Mahbub, 16, Dakshin Goddimari village, RMCH


Suspect: Insan Ali, 13, Mirbag died at home - case was initially a nipah suspect, but later found to have died of Typhoid.

[Treyfish]

Re: Bangladesh - 24 dead from Nipah Virus, 23 under treatment

Countrywide alert for Nipha

Health Ministry has given countrywide warning for Nipah virus naturally carried by Bats. Letters has already sent to Nipha-affected Lalmonirhat areas.

Health Minister Dr. AFM Ruhul Haque told this at a meeting with the journalists on Saturday and urged all to remain cautioned over the virus.

The disease caused by Nipah virus known as Encephalitis could preliminarily be indentified as the patient suffers from high fever with headache and vomiting. Nipah-affected-patient would have possibilities to die within 8 to 10 days by heart attack.

The disease causes inflammation of brain. The virus can transmit among humans through the saliva, urine and stools of infected bats. Experts are in opinion that boiled date-juice can be taken.

Nipah was first reported in the country in 2001 while a total of 152 people have been infected from 2001 to January 31, 2011. Of the infected, 113 people died. In Bangladesh, two types of encephalitis--Japanese and Nipah--are common, experts said.
http://www.the-editor.net/english/details.php?cat=195

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Bangladesh - 24 dead from Nipah Virus, 23 under treatment

Nipah death toll reaches 25
February 7, 2011
Death toll from encephalitis caused by nipah virus at Hatibandha in Lalmonirhat reached 25 with two who died on Sunday, local people said.
The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research director, Mahmudur Rahman, in Dhaka confirmed the death of two more patients at Hatibandha on Sunday, taking the official death figure to 17 in six days. Five died in 48 hours. The deceased were mostly children.

...

Although no nipah case in the affected area is found to have been caused through person-to-person contact, the families of the infected people and others of the locality have been kept under surveillance, said Mahmudur and Mushtaq.

http://www.dhakamirror.com/?p=26084

***************

Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Front Page
Nipah kills another in Rangpur
Star Report

Nipah encephalitis claimed one more life in Rangpur yesterday raising the death toll to 25.

Moyez Uddin, 45, of Annodanagar in Pirgachha upazila, died at Rangpur Medical College Hospital around 5:00am. He was admitted to the hospital on Saturday.

In Kurigram, two people are suspected to have died from the virus on Sunday.

The deceased are Anwarul Islam, 16, of Hemerkuthi village of sadar upazila and one-year-old Moon of Gharial Danga union of Rajarhat upazila...


Source: http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesig...php?nid=173323

[alert]

Re: Bangladesh - 25 dead from Nipah Virus, 23 under treatment

http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?id=186699&cid=13

Nipah spreading across northern region
Mon, Feb 7th, 2011 7:50 pm BdST Dial 2000 from your GP mobile for latest news



Dhaka, Feb 7 (bdnews24.com) ?The highly fatal nipah virus is spreading across the northern region after infecting 24 people at Hatibandha in Lalmonirhat district where it seemed to be petering out.

Director General (DG) for health Dr Khandaker Mohammad Shefayetullah said there were no fresh cases at Hatiabandha in the last couple of days.

"But four people from different parts of the region have been admitted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital with symptoms similar to nipah infection," he told bdnews24.com on Monday. The DG is now visiting the northern division.

Based on symptoms, he said, doctors assumed that they might have been infected with nipah virus. They are being treated in isolation.

"But only lab test can confirm the virus."

The DG said they were working on allaying fears of the local people. "They deserted their homes in panic and we're trying to restore their confidence."

Experts say only awareness can combat the nipah virus, which appears with symptoms of fever, altered mental status and seizure. The fatal virus has at least 75 percent mortality rate in Bangladesh.

Bats that carry nipah pass the virus into sap through saliva and droppings. People get the virus while drinking raw sap.

The outbreak of the virus was first detected a week ago in Hatibandha. IEDCR lab reports confirmed the virus nipah on Friday. So far 17 people died out of 24 infected.

Doctors and paramedics are treating those infected while scientists are keeping an eye on those who came in contact with the infected people.

"It (nipah) can pass from person to person," said Dr M Mushtuq Husain, senior scientist of Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), who is leading the field team.

"We must observe them for the next two weeks (until incubation period is over)," he said, adding that so far no such (person to person) infection occurred.

Husain said they were not getting fresh cases as people stopped drinking raw date sap.
But we are training the upazila doctors and paramedics to set up a perfect isolation unit even at Upazila level, he said.

Since its first outbreak in 2001 in Meherpur, the virus has so far killed 130 people out of 176 affected, including the recent deaths.

Nipah generally spreads between December and April, the period when people collect juice from date tree.

IEDCR suggests nursing patients carefully. "Those who take care of patients should wash their hands with soap and use mask to protect themselves," said Prof Mahmudur Rahman, director of the institute that oversees disease outbreaks.

"Patient's cough and spit should be collected in a pot so that it can be buried," he said.
He advised people to avoid drinking raw date or palm juice as well as not to eat bat-bitten fruits.

[alert]

Re: Bangladesh - 25 dead from Nipah Virus, 23 under treatment

http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?id=186738&cid=2

Nipah suspected in Rangpur
Tue, Feb 8th, 2011 12:42 am BdST Dial 2000 from your GP mobile for latest news



Rangpur, Feb 7 (bdnews24.com) ? Four people were admitted to Rangpur Medical College with symptoms similar to those of Nipah infection.

Director general of health directorate Khondaker Mohammad Sefayetullah told bdnews24.com that doctors were suspecting Nipah after seeing the symptoms. "However, nothing can be confirmed before laboratory tests."

He said people were leaving their houses in panic. "We are trying to subdue their fear and bring back sense."

Experts say only awareness can combat the virus, which appears with symptoms of fever, altered mental status and seizure. The fatal virus has a 75 percent mortality rate in Bangladesh.