Briton Dies From Rabies After 'scratch' From Puppy

A British female has died from rabies aft she was "scratched" by a puppy successful Morocco, her family said.

Yvonne Ford, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, had ray interaction pinch nan stray canine while connected vacation successful February successful nan North African country.

In a societal media post, reported by nan Press Association, Mrs Ford's family said she developed a headache 2 weeks agone and later couldn't "walk, talk, sleep, swallow".

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said location was nary consequence to nan wider nationalist owed to nary documented grounds of rabies passing betwixt people.

Mrs Ford was treated astatine Barnsley Hospital aft returning to nan UK.

In nan Facebook post, her girl Robyn Thomson said nan family "is still processing this unimaginable loss".

"She was scratched very somewhat by a puppy successful Morocco successful February," she wrote.

"At nan time, she did not deliberation immoderate harm would travel of it and didn't deliberation overmuch of it.

She continued: "Two weeks agone she became ill, starting pinch a headache and resulted successful her losing her expertise to walk, talk, sleep, swallow. Resulting successful her passing."

Close contacts of Mrs Ford and wellness workers were being assessed and offered vaccinations erstwhile basal arsenic a precaution, a UKHSA spokesperson added.

Rabies tin origin a life-threatening infection of nan encephalon and tense strategy successful humans.

It is passed connected done injuries specified arsenic bites and scratches from an infected animal.

It is astir ever fatal, nan UKHSA said, but post-exposure curen is "very effective" astatine preventing illness if fixed promptly aft vulnerability to nan virus.

Ms Thomson added: "We ne'er thought thing for illustration this could hap to personification we love.

"Please return animal bites seriously, vaccinate your pets, and amended those astir you."

Dr Katherine Russell, from nan UKHSA, said: "Human cases of rabies are highly uncommon successful nan UK.

"If you are bitten, scratched aliases licked by an animal successful a state wherever rabies is recovered past you should lavation nan coiled aliases tract of vulnerability pinch plentifulness of soap and h2o and activity aesculapian proposal without delay."

Six cases of quality rabies connected to animal vulnerability overseas person been reported successful nan UK betwixt 2000 and 2024.

Rabies is peculiarly communal successful Asia and Africa, nan UKHSA said, pinch group visiting affected countries advised to debar interaction pinch dogs, cats and different animals wherever they can.

The agency besides advised group to activity proposal astir nan request for a rabies vaccine earlier travel.