Bangladesh reports first death from HMPV

DHAKA, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh reported on Thursday its first fatality from the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) when a woman died with multiple health complications.

The deceased, Sanjida Akhter, died around 6:00 p.m. local time Wednesday in the capital Dhaka's Infectious Diseases Hospital, where she had received treatment since Sunday.

Ariful Bashar, a senior consultant of the hospital, announced on Thursday that the woman had several underlying conditions, including obesity, kidney issues, and lung complications.

The death comes days after Bangladesh reported its first case of HMPV infection this season, with the woman testing positive for the virus.

Ahmed Nowsher Alam, head of virology at the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), said the woman also tested positive for Klebsiella Pneumoniae, a variant of pneumonia.

The patient had no history of overseas travel, he mentioned.

Tahmina Shirin, director of IEDCR, had earlier said that the HMPV was first detected in Bangladesh in 2017. Since then, the virus has been reportedly identified almost every year in winter.