Woman dies after catching rabies from stray dog while on holiday
A woman from the UK has tragically died after becoming infected with rabies, following contact with a stray dog during a visit to Morocco.
Yvonne Ford, 59, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, was reported to have had "light contact" with the stray dog while on holiday in February in the North African country.
Yvonne's daughter, Robyn Thomson, a neonatal nurse, posted a tribute to her mum on Facebook. She said she hoped to raise awareness of rabies, reports Yorkshire Live.
She said: "Our family is still processing this unimaginable loss, but we are choosing to speak up in the hope of preventing this from happening to others.
"Yvonne Ford, Ron Ford's wife and our Mum, died of rabies. She was scratched very slightly by a puppy in Morocco in February. At the time, she did not think any harm would come of it and didn't think much of it. Two weeks ago she became ill, starting with a headache and resulted in her losing her ability to walk, talk, sleep, swallow. Resulting in her passing."
Robyn posted details of what others should know about the disease including: "It is fatal once symptoms appear, it is preventable through prompt medical care after exposure, even a minor scratch or bite from an infected animal - wild or domestic - can transmit the virus, if you are ever bitten or scratched, seek medical attention immediately."
She said: "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."
Earlier this week, Robyn posted a video showing her mum dancing just two weeks before she lost her life. She also posted a picture of her, with the caption: "She was the heart of our family—strong, loving, and endlessly supportive. No words can fully capture the depth of our loss or the impact she had on all of us. We are heartbroken, but also grateful for every moment we had with her."
A UK Health Security Agency statement said: "There is no risk to the wider public in relation to this case as there is no documented evidence of rabies passing between people. However, as a precautionary measure, health workers and close contacts are being assessed and offered vaccination when necessary.
"Rabies is passed on through injuries such as bites and scratches from an infected animal. It is nearly always fatal, but post-exposure treatment is very effective at preventing disease if given promptly after exposure to the virus.
"The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is reminding travellers to be careful around animals when travelling to rabies affected countries due to the risk of catching the disease."
Dr Katherine Russell, Head of Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, at UKHSA, said: "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.
"There is no risk to the wider public in relation to this case. Human cases of rabies are extremely rare in the UK, and worldwide there are no documented instances of direct human-to-human transmission."
The health security agency said rabies does not circulate in either wild or domestic animals in the UK, although some species of bats can carry a rabies-like virus. No human cases of rabies acquired in the UK from animals other than bats have been reported since 1902.
Between 2000 and 2024 there were six cases of human rabies associated with animal exposures abroad reported in the UK.
Rabies is common in other parts of the world, especially in Asia and Africa. All travellers to rabies affected countries should avoid contact with dogs, cats and other animals wherever possible, and seek advice about the need for rabies vaccine prior to travel.
People were advised to take immediate action to wash a wound or site of exposure with plenty of soap and water, if:
you've been bitten or scratched by an animal while you're abroad in a country with rabies
an animal has licked your eyes, nose or mouth, or licked a wound you have, while you're abroad in a country with rabies
you've been bitten or scratched by a bat in the UK
Local medical advice should be sought without delay, even in those who have been previously vaccinated.
The agency said, when given promptly after an exposure, a course of rabies post-exposure treatment is extremely effective at preventing the disease. If such an exposure occurs abroad, the traveller should also consult their doctor on return, so the course of rabies treatment can be completed. If travellers have not sought medical advice abroad, they should contact their doctor promptly upon return for assessment.
For more information on the risk of rabies in different countries, see the country information pages on the National Travel Health Network and Centre's (NaTHNaC's) website, TravelHealthPro.
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