UK Woman Dies of Rabies from Morocco Dog Scratch

Yvonne Ford, a 59-year-old grandmother from Barnsley in South Yorkshire, died from rabies on June 11, 2025, four months after sustaining a minor scratch from a stray dog during a family holiday on a beach in Morocco. The incident occurred in February 2025 when Ford startled the animal while rising from a sun lounger, but she cleaned the wound with a wet wipe and did not seek medical attention at the time.

Ford first presented to medical services in March and April 2025 with complaints related to an insect bite above her ankle, visiting hospitals in Barnsley and Wakefield. Her condition worsened significantly by early June, leading to admission at Barnsley Hospital on June 2 with symptoms including severe headaches, nausea, difficulty drinking, poor mobility, disorientation, hallucinations, high anxiety, and agitation. Doctors there investigated possibilities such as tick-borne encephalitis and neurological issues but could not establish a working diagnosis initially.

The breakthrough came on June 6 when Ford was referred to the hospital's mental health liaison unit. Psychiatrist Alexander Burns, assessing her for potential psychiatric causes, inquired about recent travel and...