WHILE
the country is still grappling with the first wave of the novel
Coronavirus and preparing for a possible second wave of the infection,
the threat of a Nipah Virus (NiV) epidemic is looming large over it. The
deadly virus that caused repeated outbreaks in the country, with a
fatality rate greater than 70%, has the likelihood of spreading not only
in the Nipah belt but across the country as well. Even though incidence
is low, bats carry NiV across Bangladesh and can shed the virus at any
time of the year.
Previous studies said Nipah Virus outbreaks occur
almost annually in Bangladesh from November to April and spatial
distribution of outbreaks coincide with patterns of raw date-palm-sap
consumption. In the last 20 years Bangladesh recorded 319 cases of the
virus infection. Of them, 225 or 70.53% have died. Nipah virus spreads
in our country through date-palm juice, which becomes available and
popular during winter. People living around a place, where bats live,
can also be infected with the virus after getting in contact with bats'
urine and stool.
The second wave of Covid-19 surges has already
pushed many European cities to go lockdown. At least 5,000 passengers
are coming to Bangladesh every day from these countries. But, the
airport authorities have not yet received instructions from the
government. With a limited number of health workers, improper
infrastructure and shortage of equipment, the airport authorities are
struggling to cope with the pressure of returning passengers.
We
earlier see lack of proper quarantining facilities, awareness and
preparedness, protective gears, testing facilities, ventilation and
hospital service dismayed the response to the outbreak out of which
about four and a half thousand returned through Hazrat Shahjalal
International Airport only. Recurrence of the same situation, we
experienced six months back, for the insincerity of the government must
be destructive. And of NiV, which has no vaccine or specific treatment,
scientists advised people to refrain from drinking raw date juice to
stay safe from the infection.