UK: Woman dies of rabies in Yorkshire after dog contact in Morocco

A UK woman from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, has died from rabies after coming into contact with a stray dog while on holiday in Morocco, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed.

Yvonne Ford contracted the deadly virus after being “scratched very slightly by a puppy,” according to her daughter, Robyn Thomson.

Ford was diagnosed after returning from Morocco in February and became seriously ill two weeks before her death.

“At the time, she did not think any harm would come of it and didn’t think much of it,” Thomson wrote in a Facebook post.

“Two weeks ago, she became ill, starting with a headache and resulted in her losing her ability to walk, talk, sleep, swallow.”

Thomson warned others about the risks of rabies, writing: “We never thought something like this could happen to someone we love. Please take animal bites seriously, vaccinate your pets, and educate those around you.”

The UKHSA said there was no risk to the wider public, as rabies is not transmitted between people. However, health workers and close contacts are being assessed and may receive post-exposure vaccinations as a precaution.

Rabies is spread through the saliva of infected animals, typically via bites. While the virus can be carried by animals like cats, cows, foxes, and bats, in many parts of the world, stray dogs are the most common source of human infections.

Symptoms often begin like the flu but can quickly worsen, including fever, nausea, excessive salivation, agitation, hallucinations, and paralysis. Once symptoms appear, the disease is almost always fatal.

Dr Katherine Russell, head of emerging infections and zoonoses at the UKHSA, expressed condolences: “I would like to extend my condolences to this individual’s family at this time.

“If you are bitten, scratched or licked by an animal in a country where rabies is found, then you should wash the wound or site of exposure with plenty of soap and water and seek medical advice without delay in order to get post-exposure treatment to prevent rabies.”

This is only the seventh reported case of rabies in the UK this century, and all cases involved individuals who were exposed abroad. Rabies has not been found in wild or domestic animals in the UK, apart from rare cases involving bats.

(GUARDIAN)

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