Nipah virus infection has turned out to be the deadliest among all communicable diseases in Bangladesh in terms of mortality rate, with 71% of the 327 people who had contracted the virus in the last 22 years dying from the disease, says the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control, and Research.

The victims acquired the virus principally through consumption of date palm sap contaminated with bat saliva or urine, adds the state-owned research institute.

The fatality rate in any other infectious disease in the country is much lower than that of the Nipah virus, public health experts have said, adding that everyone is so scared about the coronavirus but the death rate in coronavirus is merely 1.23%.

They advised people not to consume raw date palm juice and fallen half-eaten fruits to prevent Nipah virus infections.