Editorial photo #10879724 Economy, Business and Finance
Nipah Virus - Health Department Warns Against Consuming Raw Date Juice In Bangladesh
A man is carefully collecting date palm juice from a plastic container on the outskirts of Sylhet city, Bangladesh, on a winter morning, December 29, 2023. Doctors and the Health Department are advising people to be very careful about drinking raw date juice. The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) has reported that people are dying from the Nipah virus after consuming raw date juice. In Bangladesh, the Nipah virus is primarily spread by bats, and the risk of contracting this virus is high from December to April. The virus can be transmitted through bat saliva or feces in the sap when bats hang on palm trees to collect sap. Many people, including children, have been infected by eating fruits partially eaten by bats. Consuming the juice raw has led to infections. The IEDCR director has stated that 71 percent of people infected with the Nipah virus die. This year, 2023, 10 people have already died from the Nipah virus. Consequently, on December 14, 2023, the Department of Health issued a warning to avoid consuming raw date juice to prevent the spread of the Nipah virus. Currently, children and teenagers are more affected. (Photo by Md Rafayat Haque Khan/Eyepix Group/NurPhoto)