English woman dies of rabies after being scratched by puppy during Morocco holiday
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An English woman died of rabies a few days ago after being "very lightly" scratched by a puppy in Morocco last February.
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An English woman infected with rabies died after coming into contact with a stray dog during a stay in Morocco, the UK Food and Drug Administration announced on Tuesday, June 18. The victim was diagnosed after she had already returned to Yorkshire.
According to her daughter's Facebook account, who decided to speak out to "prevent this from happening to others," her mother "was very lightly scratched by a puppy in Morocco in February." At the time, "she didn't consider it dangerous and didn't think about it again." But two weeks ago, her daughter continued , "she became ill with headaches and had increasing difficulty walking, sleeping, talking, swallowing," until her death.
The British agency states that there is no risk to the general public, as rabies is not transmitted from human to human. Healthcare workers and relatives of the victim have nevertheless been offered vaccination.
Katherine Russell, the agency's head of epidemics, reiterates the precautionary rules in the press release. "If you are bitten, scratched, or licked by an animal in a country where rabies is still circulating, you must wash the wound or the affected area thoroughly with soap and water, and seek medical advice without delay to request treatment," which is "extremely effective." " A preventive vaccine is available for high-risk individuals, such as veterinarians and travelers in certain regions," reminds the Pasteur Institute .
Katherine Russell adds that cases of rabies in humans are "extremely rare in the UK," with six cases occurring between 2000 and 2024, all imported from abroad.
According to the Pasteur Institute , rabies is responsible for approximately 59,000 deaths worldwide each year, primarily in Asia and Africa, most often following a bite from a rabid dog. In France, 23 people have died from rabies since 1970, the last being in 2019.
Francetvinfo
