Yvonne Ford, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, has died after contracting rabies following a “scratch” by a stray puppy during a visit to Morocco in February.
Rabies is a viral disease that is nearly always fatal once symptoms appear, which may happen months after exposure. It is passed on through bites, scratches, or contact with the saliva of infected animals. Prompt post-exposure treatment is highly effective in preventing the disease if administered shortly after the incident.
Ms. Ford’s daughter, Robyn Thompson, wrote, “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.”
Between 2000 and 2024, six human rabies cases linked to animal contact abroad were reported in the UK
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed there is no risk to the wider public. Rabies is not transmitted from person to person, and there is no documented evidence of human-to-human spread. As a precaution, health workers and close contacts are being assessed and offered vaccination if needed.
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.”
She added, “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, six human rabies cases linked to animal contact abroad were reported in the UK. The disease remains common in parts of Asia and Africa. The UKHSA is advising travellers to avoid contact with dogs, cats and other animals while visiting countries where rabies is present, and to seek advice on rabies vaccination before travelling.
Travellers are urged to wash any wounds or exposure sites thoroughly with soap and water and seek immediate medical advice if bitten, scratched, or licked by animals in rabies-affected regions. Even those who are vaccinated should seek prompt medical assessment. Further treatment should be continued or completed on return to the UK.
Les Ward MBE, chairman of the International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC), said, “Morocco is sadly way behind the accepted norm when it comes to humane TNVR measures, and incidents like this just go to show that what Morocco says it is doing is not working.
“The IAWPC is campaigning for the country to implement a scheme which protects the free-roaming dogs, but also members of the public too, we have been met with silence from the authorities and witnessed violence in the streets when dogs are slaughtered and brutalised in front of members of the public including children and tourists.
“Morocco claims to be undertaking a national ‘anti-rabies vaccination programme’, but like everything else they say, their claims have no basis in reality. To safely manage a free-roaming dog population the only humane and safe option is trap, neuter, vaccinate return. What Morocco, a World Cup host nation, is doing at the moment is not ethical, harms animals and people, and is a time bomb waiting to go off.”
