UNB, Dhaka

For the first time in Bangladesh, the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) has detected the Reovirus in the bodies of five individuals.

This discovery came after testing patients with Nipah virus symptoms in 2024, IEDCR Director Prof Tahmina Shirin told UNB on Friday.

Fortunately, none of the affected individuals became seriously ill. After receiving treatment, all of them recovered and returned home, she said.

The health department has assured that there is no cause for concern regarding the Reovirus.

It is common for many individuals to be infected with the Nipah virus after drinking raw date juice during the winter months. However, the five individuals who tested positive for the Reovirus were all negative for the Nipah virus.

This disease has not spread widely, and these five cases are the first instances of Reovirus in Bangladesh.

The virus was identified through regular research conducted by the IEDCR in collaboration with Columbia University, USA.