Woman dies from Nipah as brain-swelling virus feared to be next pandemic

Nipah has a fatality rate of between 40 and 75 per cent with the virus spreading in India and Bangladesh, leading other Asian nations to curb its spread across the continent

A woman has died from Nipah amid fears the brain-swelling virus has been branded the “next pandemic threat.”

The woman was in Bangladesh, where cases of the killer bug have been confirmed. Nipah is a feared virus that can kill as many as 75 per cent of people who catch it. Cases were first reported in India before crossing into Bangladesh which sparked UK health officials to issue alerts amid concerns the virus could spread beyond the Subcontinent.

The patient, believed to be between 40 and 50, fell ill on January 21 in northern Bangladesh, after she developed symptoms of the Nipah virus. She suffered headache, fever, muscle cramps and loss of appetite before her condition worsened.

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Just six days later, the woman fell unconscious and was rushed to a local hospital. She died on January 28, after being admitted to hospital.

The United Nations said the woman had no recent travel history, although she had been known to drink raw palm sap – which is a knwn source of the Nipah virus as it can be contaminated by bats.

It added all 35 people who were in contact with the woman have been monitored and tested negative for the virus. No more cases have been detected.

The World Health Organisation warned on Friday the risk of international spread of the virus was relatively low. Several nearby nations in Asia, including Thailand and Malaysia introduced Covid-like airport screening in a bid to halt the spread.

The UK Health Security Agency have urged any Brits planning to visit affected countries to be aware of the symptoms. It said last week: “The risk for tourists visiting endemic countries is very low if standard precautions are followed.

“The risk may be higher for those participating in local practices such as date palm sap collection and consumption. If you develop symptoms while overseas in an endemic area, seek advice from a health professional immediately.

“If you develop symptoms after returning to the UK, contact your healthcare provider and make sure to mention your recent travel history.” Last year, UK health chiefs said Nipah is deadlier than Covid-10 and has a fatality rate of 40 per cent to 75 per cent.