A case of human rabies looks likely to be confirmed in Northern Ireland. A man was admitted to hospital in Belfast, and tests have proved positive for the disease. This is commonly transferred through a bite, and this victim is thought to have sustained an infected bite on an overseas visit.
Rabies is a notifiable disease in the United Kingdom, almost always fatal. The last case in Ulster was in 1938, and the last time the disease was transmitted by dog-bite in the UK was in 1902. As any overseas visitor knows, stringent measures are in place to prevent importation of the disease into the country. Even on the quaysides here in Stornoway, you will find notices prohibiting the import of mammals.
It reminds me of an episode 3 years ago, when a polar navigator docked at Stornoway after sustaining damage in Atlantic gales. His two dogs jumped ashore, in spite of having been warned to keep them tethered, and led police on a brief merry chase around town.
That is frightening! Rabies...........oh my
ReplyDeleteHugs,Rose
Rabies is a hoorible death I understand ..love Jan xx
ReplyDeleteRabies is endemic in the wild population of skunks and squirrels here in the Great Plains. We don't worry about it too much, though. If an animal bites a human it is captured for observation or killed and autopsied. The victim is given a series of specific gamma globulin shots which are extremely painful, but considering the alternative.... When I was in High School, a classmate's younger sister and brother had to take the shots because they were scratched/bitten by (alleged) sewer rats which were never found. The children lived, but they and their mother had nightmares for years.
ReplyDeleteo<\^) Jan the Gryphon
http://gryph-wotd.blogspot.com/
When I was a child, a neighbor's grandfather was bitten my a bat, and had to get those shots that Jan was talking about... in the belly button... Ewwww!!!
ReplyDeleteThat is terrifying Guido, I just hope the man survives.
ReplyDeleteLove Sandra xx
When I first saw your entry title, I thought "oh no, Guido has rabies." Well, thankfully it's not you & hopefully this man will get fast treatment and be ok. That's just one of the reasons my little Gabi doesn't go outside. There are so many racoons around here & I would never trust them. Even tho she's a house cat she still gets all her shots every year. It's still not gotten about freezing here today~is this weather coming to us from you? Linda in Washington
ReplyDeleteHope the man survives but from what i understand not likely :o( The last case i know of on mainland UK was near Dundee not too many years ago...That one was caused by a bat bite
ReplyDeleteHow awful for that fellow. When I was attacked by a wild cat I was forced to go through the rabies shots ~ the doctors told me once you show symptoms of rabies it is too late and their is no cure. Poor man.
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