Fresh date palm sap is becoming a "deadly cocktail" after health authorities identified Nipah virus, transmitted by bat saliva, in collection pots, causing fatal encephalitis cases.
A woman around 40 years old in northern Bangladesh died one week after developing symptoms of fever and seizures due to Nipah virus infection, following consumption of fresh date palm sap.
The World Health Organization (WHO) assesses the risk of Nipah virus spreading from India as low after nearly 200 people who had contact with confirmed cases tested negative.
