A grandmother from Yorkshire has died after contracting rabies on holiday. Here the PA news agency looks at what the virus is.
– What is rabies?
Rabies is a deadly virus which is passed on through injuries such as bites and scratches from an infected animal.
In developing countries, people can often catch the virus from stray animals and dogs.
Rabies is nearly always fatal, but post-exposure treatment is very effective if given quickly after a person has been in contact with an animal.
– What are the symptoms?
Once a person begins showing signs and symptoms of rabies, the disease is nearly always fatal.
The first symptoms of rabies can be similar to flu, while later symptoms include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, agitation, anxiety, difficulty swallowing and excessive saliva.
Spasms of the muscles used for swallowing make it difficult for the patient to drink and people can suffer hallucinations and paralysis.
The incubation period between being infected and showing symptoms is typically between three and 12 weeks, but can vary from a few days to many months.
– How many UK cases have there been?
There have been no human cases of rabies acquired in the UK from animals other than bats reported since 1902.
A single case of rabies acquired from a bat was reported in 2002 in Scotland – the person had suffered several bat bites.
Between 2000 and 2024, there were six cases of rabies reported in the UK linked to people being exposed abroad.
In 2018, a person in the UK developed rabies following a cat bite in Morocco.
– What new warnings have been issued to travellers?
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said rabies is common in other parts of the world, especially Asia and Africa.
People are advised to avoid contact with dogs, cats and other animals and check whether they may need a rabies vaccine prior to travel.
Anyone who is bitten or scratched by an animal, or where the animal has licked eyes, nose or mouth, or licked a wound, should wash the site with plenty of soap and water and seek immediate medical help.
People should do the same if they have been bitten or scratched by a bat in the UK.
Anyone given post-exposure treatment should contact their doctor on return to the UK to ensure treatment continues and is effective.
Even if people have not sought help abroad, they should see their UK doctor if they have been bitten by an animal abroad.
More information on the risk of rabies in different countries is available on the National Travel Health Network and Centre’s TravelHealthPro website.
– How many cases are there globally?
There are around 59,000 cases of rabies globally each year, but there have not been any cases showing human-to-human transmission.
