British tourist dies of rabies after cat bite in Morocco

Cats sleep in a doorway among the narrow streets of Rabat’s blue and white buildings in the Moroccan capital’s Old Town. Holidaymakers have been advised to avoid cats and dogs overseas
Cats sleep in a doorway among the narrow streets of Rabat’s blue and white buildings in the Moroccan capital’s Old Town. Holidaymakers have been advised to avoid cats and dogs overseas
REUTERS

A Briton has died after being bitten by a rabid cat while on holiday in Morocco.

Health chiefs have warned holidaymakers to avoid cats and dogs overseas after the first death from the disease in Britain for 16 years.

They said yesterday that there was no risk of the disease spreading. It has never passed from human to human.

Rabies is an infection of the nervous system that causes headaches, fever and muscle spasms. As the disease progresses people suffer hallucinations, breathing problems and a tell-tale fear of water caused by infection of key brain cells. Although the disease can be prevented by vaccination, once the illness develops it is almost always fatal.

Public Health England has given no details of the fatality but Mary