The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) has confirmed five cases of reovirus infection in Bangladesh, marking the first recorded instances of the virus in the country.

The infected individuals exhibited symptoms similar to those of the Nipah virus, including encephalitis (brain inflammation) and a history of consuming raw date juice. However, according to IEDCR Director Tahmina Shirin, tests for Nipah virus came back negative.

"We initially tested for Nipah, but the results were negative. Further testing revealed the presence of reovirus, a virus that has never before been identified in Bangladesh," she explained.

When asked about how the disease spreads and what its symptoms are, the IEDCR director said more research is needed on the matter.

Tahmina said that many patients in Bangladesh experienced inflammation of the brain but the cause cannot be identified.

“If we continue this work and find more viral infections found in encephalitis patients, it could be greatly helpful to their treatment.”

“It will also be useful to prove that there is no strict rule that requires the use of antibiotics indiscriminately in all cases.”

Nipah virus cases increase in Bangladesh during the winter.

Patients who are infected may experience severe pain, fever, dizziness, vomiting, and convulsions. The patient may become delirious, and sometimes even fall unconscious.

Symptoms may appear within seven to 14 days of the virus entering the body.

Nipah is spread by bats. When a bat drinks from date juice collection pots, the virus infects the juice. If a human drinks raw date juice, they become infected with the disease.

As such, doctors recommend that people not drink raw date juice or eat fruit that has been bitten by bats or birds.