ULA conducts Nipah virus awareness campaigns in Maungdaw

By Admin 10 Feb 2026

DMG Newsroom

10 February 2026, Maungdaw

The Health Department under the United League of Arakan (ULA) is conducting Nipah virus (NiV) awareness campaigns in Maungdaw District, an area under Arakan Army (AA) control bordering Bangladesh, according to local residents.

The campaign includes public health talks and the distribution of surgical masks, following a World Health Organization (WHO) report in early February on the death of a confirmed Nipah virus patient in Bangladesh. Maungdaw is a key border trade town between the two countries.

“I have seen ULA health officials distributing pamphlets and installing educational billboards along roadsides,” said a resident of Maungdaw.

Local residents stressed the need for heightened vigilance in border areas due to frequent economic, health and social interactions between Maungdaw and Bangladesh.

The ULA Health Department stepped up prevention efforts across Arakan State in late January. Awareness billboards have been erected and pamphlets distributed in crowded public areas, including markets, bus terminals, jetties and major intersections.

“We are conducting awareness activities in Maungdaw and Buthidaung. The Humanitarian and Development Coordination Office (HDCO) and the Health Department are working together to share information so the public can take special precautions against the Nipah virus,” said a female HDCO official. “Our office mainly covers urban areas, while other ULA departments support outreach in rural communities.”

Similar awareness campaigns are also being carried out by the ULA Health Department in Thandwe and Taungup districts.

The ULA Health Department has urged the public to immediately contact the nearest health clinic if they experience symptoms suspected to be linked to Nipah virus and to strictly follow official health guidelines.

Nipah virus was first identified in India’s West Bengal state. ULA authorities said they remain on high alert and are implementing preventive measures across Arakan State due to ongoing cross-border links with India’s Mizoram State.

NiV is a zoonotic virus, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans. It can also spread through contaminated food or direct human-to-human contact. According to the WHO, fruit bats are the natural hosts of the virus.