The loved ones of a British mother who tragically passed away from rabies after being scratched by a stray puppy while vacationing in Morocco have expressed their sorrowful sentiments.
Yvonne Ford, hailing from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, unknowingly contracted rabies subsequent to the scratch incident that occurred in February. Her daughter shared that she fell unwell earlier this month.
Her death has led to an urgent warning from the UK Health and Security Agency today.
Yvonne’s daughter Robyn Thomson decided to speak out publicly about her mum’s death “in the hope of preventing this from happening to others”.
In a poignant message on Facebook posted on Tuesday, her daughter shared, “Two weeks ago she started feeling unwell, initially experiencing a headache, which escalated to a point where she lost basic functions like walking, talking, sleeping, and swallowing. Eventually, she passed away.”
She went on to say: “She was scratched very slightly by a puppy in Morocco in February.
What rabies does to the body and how it’s treated
The infection is common worldwide but is predominantly found in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America.
Some of the animals that are most likely to spread the disease are dogs, bats, foxes, skunks and raccoons.
Symptoms
After a bite or other rabies exposure, the virus can take weeks or months to start causing symptoms.
This timeframe is what doctors call the incubation period in which the virus is travelling through the body and to the brain.
Some of the most common symptoms of rabies include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Excess salivation
- Muscle spasms
- paralysis
- mental confusion
The World Health Organization describes two main manifestations of the disease: furious rabies and paralytic rabies.
People or animals with furious rabies may appear agitated, become aggressive, and drool excessively, while other symptoms include hyperactivity, fear of water, and even fear of fresh air.
The symptoms of paralytic rabies, on the other hand, are more understated—typically causing gradual paralysis as a patient remains calm and lucid.
Treatment
If you’ve been bitten or scratched by an animal in an area with a risk of rabies you should immediately clean the wound with running water and soap for several minutes.
After this, you must disinfect the wound with an alcohol- or iodine-based disinfectant and apply a simple dressing.
After the wound is addressed, you should see a doctor as soon as possible and they will determine if you need a rabies vaccination or not.
Post-exposure treatment is nearly 100 per cent effective if it’s started before any symptoms of rabies appear.
Some cases will require immunoglobulin, which is administered into and around the wound.
This provides short-term protection if there is a significant chance of infection in the wound.
Treatment should ideally begin within a few hours of being bitten, but can be delayed up to 24 hours if needed.
“At the time, she did not think any harm would come of it and didn’t think much of it.”
Robyn added: “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.”
In another post, she referred to her mum by the nickname “Bon” and said: “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.”
On Sunday, Robyn shared a clip of Yvonne dancing with two children “just under two weeks before we lost mum”.
FACTFILE
– Rabies was eradicated from the UK in 1902
– It followed the first vaccine for rabies which was introduced in 1885
– Over 29 million people worldwide now receive a rabies vaccine annually
– Dogs are responsible for 99 per cent of cases
– Rabies still kills 59,000 people a year, almost entirely in developing countries
– Victims can harbour the disease for months without showing any symptoms.
– In 2004, US teenager Jeanna Giese became the first person in the world to survive rabies without receiving the vaccine
– There has never been a recorded case of human-to-human transmission
– Symptoms include anxiety, headaches and fever, before difficulty swallowing and respiratory failure
It comes after the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed a Brit had died, and said her close contacts “are being assessed and offered vaccination when necessary”.
A statement added: “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.”
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.”
