A Tragic Reminder: The Case of Rabies and What We Must Learn
Earlier this year, a 59-year-old woman from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, tragically lost her life to rabies after being scratched by a stray puppy while on holiday in Morocco.
Her story is heartbreaking, but it carries very important lessons for all travellers and pet owners. I want to share what we know — and how to protect yourself.
What happened
• The woman, Yvonne Ford, was scratched very slightly by a puppy in Morocco in February. She didn’t think much of it at first, because it seemed minor.
• For weeks and months, there were no troubling symptoms. Then, two weeks before she died, she developed headache and rapidly deteriorated: losing ability to walk, talk, swallow, sleep, etc.
• By the time symptoms appeared, rabies had already progressed. Sadly, once symptoms show, rabies is nearly always fatal.
What is rabies?
Here are some key facts:
• Rabies is a virus that attacks the nervous system. It’s spread typically by saliva from infected animals — usually via bites or scratches.
• It has an incubation period (time between exposure and symptoms) usually of 3–12 weeks, but it can be shorter or much longer.
• Early symptoms can feel flu-like or mild. But once neurological symptoms appear (difficulty moving, swallowing, talking; confusion; spasms etc.), rabies becomes almost impossible to treat successfully.
Lessons & What We Can Do
From this tragedy, there are several lessons and practical steps we all need to take seriously:
✅ If you get bitten or scratched by an animal while travelling:
1. Clean the wound immediately with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes. Disinfect if possible.
2. Seek medical advice right away, even if the wound looks small, not deep, or you think it’s harmless. Tell them about the scratch or bite, the animal, and where you were.
3. If in a country where rabies is present, ask if you need post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) — this usually includes vaccine doses (and sometimes rabies immunoglobulin) as soon as possible.
🚨 Why early action matters
• Rabies vaccines given before symptoms almost always prevent rabies after exposure.
• Wait too long, and once symptoms begin, there is little that modern medicine can reliably do.
• Also, small or even barely noticeable injuries (like a scratch you don’t think much of) can still transmit the virus. As in Yvonne’s case.
Travel Tips & Prevention
• Check whether rabies is endemic (present) in the country you’re visiting (many places in Africa, Asia, Latin America have higher risk).
• Avoid contact with stray or wild animals.
• Consider getting rabies pre-exposure vaccination if you will be in high-risk areas or doing activities (like animal handling, hiking in remote places).
• Vaccinate your pets before you travel.
When to Seek Further Medical Help
If any of these happen after a bite or scratch:
• The injury was left untreated or not cleaned properly
• You develop signs like tingling, weakness, fever, headache after a scratch/bite
• Difficulty swallowing, drooling, hallucinations or confusion
• Any neurological symptoms
Seek emergency medical care immediately. Time is of the essence.
Remembering Yvonne Ford
Yvonne’s family have spoken out to raise awareness, urging people to “take animal bites seriously” and to “check, check, check” if there’s even a small scratch. Her story is tragic, but if it helps even one person act a little faster, then awareness can save lives.
