Bangladesh is home to several species of bats, including large fruit bats, commonly known as flying foxes, which play a crucial ecological role by pollinating plants, dispersing seeds, and maintaining forest ecosystems.
However, bats are also the natural reservoir of the Nipah virus, a rare but highly fatal zoonotic disease that periodically affects the country. The virus is typically transmitted to humans through the consumption of raw date palm sap contaminated by bat saliva or urine. It can also spread through close contact with infected individuals.
Since 2001, Bangladesh has recorded more than 300 Nipah cases, with a high fatality rate of around 70 percent. Outbreaks typically occur between December and April, coinciding with the date…
