Rabies was very rare in the UK but people should not "take for granted how safe we are", a top medic has warned following the death of a woman from the virus. Yvonne Ford, 59, from Barnsley, died in hospital in Sheffield on 11 June after being scratched while stroking a puppy during a holiday to Morocco in February. Her daughter, Robyn Thomson, said in a Facebook post that her mum had started experiencing symptoms two weeks ago, which began with a headache and eventually saw her unable to walk, talk, sleep or swallow. Prof Andrew Lee, from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said it was vital that people planning to travel abroad should seek health advice and "get all their jabs in". Mrs Ford had light contact with the stray dog while on holiday in February in the North African country, according to her family. She was diagnosed with rabies at Barnsley Hospital after returning to the UK, and was later transferred to Sheffield's Royal Hallamshire Hospitalwhere she died last week. Prof Lee told the BBC that the UK itself had been "rabies-free since the early part of the 20th Century". "We've not got it in our wild or domestic animals - with the exception of a few bat species, but that's really, really rare - and the cases we've had in the UK have been acquired abroad," he said. He explained that once someone had contracted the virus, it could take a few months for the symptoms to emerge. If people were bitten, scratched or licked by an animal with rabies while abroad, they should "try and wash the wound out as soon as you can and get medical treatment as soon as you can", Prof Lee urged. "If you've had early treatment then generally the chances are pretty good that you will recover, but if you leave it too late and the disease sets in then it attacks nerves and then the brain and it can't be cured once it gets to that stage. "If people don't get treatment early, and especially if they're not vaccinated, once the disease sets in there's little our medical colleagues can do and unfortunately it becomes fatal." Prof Lee urged everyone planning to go abroad on holiday to "make sure you get your travel advice and get all the right vaccines and protect yourselves and your loved ones". "If there is one message, it is that here in the UK we take for granted how safe we are from infectious disease, but we forget that outside the UK in many countries some of these diseases are much more common, like rabies," he said. "So it's important that people get travel health advice before they go abroad and make sure they get all their jabs in." Prof Lee added that people should also "have your wits about you and just avoid the animals", particularly in countries where the risk of rabies is much higher, such as parts of Africa and Asia. Six cases of human rabies connected to animal exposure abroad were reported in the UK between 2000 and 2024. Listen to highlights fromSouth Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latestepisode of Look Northor tell us a story you thinkwe should be covering here.
Top medic urges caution after woman's rabies death
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"Expert Advises Caution Following Rabies-Related Death of UK Woman"
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TruthLens AI Summary
Rabies, a disease that has been virtually eliminated in the UK since the early 20th century, has made headlines once again following the tragic death of Yvonne Ford, a 59-year-old woman from Barnsley. Ford contracted the virus after being scratched by a puppy during her holiday in Morocco in February. Despite her light contact with the animal, symptoms began to manifest two weeks prior to her death, initially presenting as a headache but rapidly deteriorating to a state where she could not walk, talk, sleep, or swallow. Her family reported that she was diagnosed with rabies after returning to the UK and was subsequently treated at Barnsley Hospital before being transferred to the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield, where she passed away on June 11. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers of rabies, especially for travelers venturing to regions where the disease remains prevalent.
Professor Andrew Lee from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) emphasized the importance of seeking health advice and vaccinations before traveling abroad, particularly to countries where rabies is more common. He highlighted that while rabies cases in the UK are rare, they typically arise from exposure to infected animals overseas. According to Professor Lee, immediate medical treatment following a bite or scratch from a potentially rabid animal is crucial, as early intervention can dramatically improve recovery chances. He urged travelers to wash any wounds thoroughly and seek medical attention promptly. The professor's warnings extend beyond just vaccination; he also advised people to exercise caution around animals in high-risk areas. With six reported cases of human rabies linked to foreign animal exposure in the UK between 2000 and 2024, the message is clear: while the UK is largely safe from rabies, travelers must remain vigilant and informed to protect themselves against this potentially fatal disease.
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