Woman dies of Nipah virus at RMCH

A woman has died of symptoms of Nipah virus infection while undergoing treatment at the intensive care unit (ICU) of Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH).

RMCH Director Brig Gen Dr F M Shamim Ahmed on Thursday (March 2) said Farida Begum, 25, wife of Abdul Khalek of Chakoar village in Manda upazila of Naogaon district, died on Wednesday (March 1) night.

The mother-in-law of Farida has also been undergoing treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital with the same symptoms.

Shamim Ahmed said Farida was admitted to Manda Upazila Health Complex on February 7 with fever and cold. Later, the hospital authorities took samples suspecting that she was infected with Nipah virus and sent the sample to Dhaka for test.

On February 23, Farida was shifted to Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital where she breathed her last on Wednesday.

Local people said Abdul Khalek along with his family took raw date juice on February 4. On February 6, Khalek caught fever and cold. He was taken to Naogaon Sadar hospital the next day and, later, he died on way to Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital on February 8.