In which year did Bangladesh experience a recognised Nipah virus outbreak, as referred to in this general knowledge question?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: 2001

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This question deals with health and disease related current affairs, focusing on Nipah virus outbreaks. Nipah virus is a zoonotic virus that can cause severe illness in humans. It has produced outbreaks in South Asian countries such as Malaysia, Bangladesh, and India. Understanding the timeline of major outbreaks is useful for general awareness, particularly because such events often lead to public health discussions about surveillance and prevention.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • The country in focus is Bangladesh.
  • The question asks for the year of a noted Nipah virus outbreak in that country.
  • The options are 2001, 2006, 2012, and 2015.
  • We assume that the question refers to the early, widely reported outbreak associated with Bangladesh.


Concept / Approach:
Nipah virus was first identified during an outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia in the late nineteen nineties. Later, multiple outbreaks were reported in Bangladesh beginning in the early two thousands. The earliest recognised outbreak in Bangladesh occurred in 2001, and subsequent outbreaks in later years continued to draw attention. Therefore, for a question that asks about the year associated with a Nipah outbreak in Bangladesh, 2001 is the most appropriate answer among the given choices.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the first documented Nipah virus outbreak in Bangladesh occurred after the Malaysian outbreak and that it was in the early two thousands.Step 2: Examine the given options. All years are in the twenty first century, but 2001 is the earliest.Step 3: Bangladesh recorded initial outbreaks of Nipah virus in 2001 with further outbreaks reported in later years such as 2003 and beyond.Step 4: Considering that the question does not specify later outbreaks, the earliest outbreak year, 2001, is taken as the correct answer.Step 5: Therefore, choose 2001.


Verification / Alternative check:


Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • 2006: Although Bangladesh experienced several outbreaks over time, the earliest recognised outbreak occurred before 2006, so this year is too late to be considered the first one highlighted in basic GK questions.
  • 2012 and 2015: These are even later years and do not match the early period when Nipah virus first emerged in Bangladesh.


Common Pitfalls:
Candidates often confuse the timeline of disease outbreaks, mixing up when the virus was first discovered, when different countries experienced outbreaks, and which specific year is being asked. Another pitfall is to pick a more recent year simply because it feels more familiar. To avoid such mistakes, it helps to build a chronological list of major epidemic and pandemic events with approximate years.


Final Answer:
The Nipah virus outbreak in Bangladesh referred to in this question occurred in the year 2001.

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