A man died of anger after a cat bit him The Morning of Nuevo Laredo

MOROCCO.- A British resident died of rabies after being bitten by a cat in Morocco, public health authorities said Monday.

The British Ministry of Public Health (PHE) issued a warning Monday to all residents of the country, after the man had contracted the disease.

Although "there is no risk" for the general public, the victim's family, friends and medical staff.

Rabies, which is usually fatal when symptoms occur, is an infectious viral disease that affects the brain and nervous system. central. Initial manifestations include anxiety, headache and fever, which can lead to hallucinations and respiratory failure, according to the PHE.

The virus is transmitted to humans by bites or scratches from animals and the first symptoms may appear between 3 and 12 weeks later.

In the United Kingdom, no human has contracted rabies in animals – with the exception of bats – for more than 100 years, the PHE reported. The agency added that the disease was not circulating in wild or domestic animals in the country.

However, five Britons contracted rabies on animals abroad between 2000 and 2017.

The PHE used this incident to remind its citizens. the risks during a trip abroad. "This is an important reminder of the precautions people traveling to countries where rabies is present," said Mary Ramsay, in charge of immunization in the country's PHE, in a statement.

"If an animal pricks you, Spider or lick you, you must wash the wound or the place of exposure with plenty of water and soap, and consult a doctor without delay," said Health agency.

If after being exposed to an animal with rabies, there is rapid treatment, a vaccine "is extremely effective in preventing the disease," said the PHE.

Geoffrey Smith, head of the Department of Pathology at the University of Cambridge, explained that rabies is one of the few diseases in which the vaccine can be effective after infection. "But it depends on the speed of the operation and the place where the patient was bitten."

"After a foot bite, there is more time to vaccinate before the virus reaches the brain through the nervous cells, if the wound is on the back of the neck."

Rabies is rampant more than 150 countries and territories around the world. Every year, more than 59,000 people die from rabies: the poor and the disadvantaged are most affected when access to medical care is limited.

It is estimated that 95% of cases occur in Africa and Asia, according to estimates. World Health Organization, with over 99% of cases of dog bites.

Smith also explained that not only dogs and cats were carriers of rabies. "Virtually all mammals can be infected with rabies virus and a large reservoir is reserved for bats," he said.