Two sisters, Muntaha Marisha (2) and Muftaul Mashia (4) died in a span of four days after being attacked with an unidentified virus in Rajshahi.
Mother of the children, Poly Khatun at Rajshahi hospital informed that last Tuesday (13 February) morning, the housemaid of the quarter plucked Jujubes (kul) from a tree on the college campus and gave those to Marisha and Mashia to eat.
The children took those Jujubes without washing or cleaning them. The children suffered no trouble that day but the next day (Wednesday) at around 11 am, the younger child Marisha suffered fever and she was taking water repeatedly. She then started to vomit in the afternoon.
Parents of the children to took the child to combined military hospital or CMH in Rajshahi.
Marisha was also breastfed on the way to the hospital. But, before reaching the town, Marisha died on the lap of her mother in the Katakhali area of the city. CMCH doctors said the child died before reaching the hospital. The dead body of Marisha was taken to the village home in Durgapur and buried there.
Later on Friday (February 16) morning, Mashia also developed fever and started to vomit. She was at first rushed to the Upazila Health Complex in Charghat from where she was shifted to CMH in Rajshahi where the doctors suggested transferring her to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital and she was admitted to the ICU of RMCH at 9 pm. Mashia also died the next day(Saturday) afternoon. She was also buried in the same village.
Poly Khatun further mentioned, that after the death of Mashia, black spots appeared on her entire body. Marisha had also developed the same symptoms before her death. She mentioned she had never seen such black spots on anyone's body earlier which looked like the spots burnt by sprinkles of hot oil. Both the sisters were taking water repeatedly after falling ill.
Dr Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal, In charge of the ICU of RMCH, informed, “It is presumed the children were attacked with the Nipah virus, though their parents informed, the children did not take the date-juice but they took jujubes without washing those. That may be the Nipah virus or any other form of virus.”
However, the doctor mentioned that the samples from the bodies of the dead children and their parents have been collected and sent to Dhaka for testing. The result of the test will be available on Sunday and then the actual cause of death will be identified.
He further mentioned, “No one has so far died by being attacked in the Nipah virus in Rajshahi this year but it is certain that the children died of certain viral attack. Doctors even did not get enough time to treat the children which is why the parents of the children have been kept in isolation at the hospital.”
The father of the children Monjur Rahman(35) is a Lecturer in Mathematics at Rajshahi Cadet College and his wife Poly Khatun (30) is a housewife. Their paternal house is at Chuniapara village under Durgapur upazila of Rajshahi but they stayed at the staff quarter of the Cadet College.