LONDON, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- Health chiefs in Britain issued a warning Monday after a British tourist died from rabies after being bitten by a cat during a visit to Morocco.
Public Health England (PHE) urged travelers to avoid coming into contact with animals when travelling to rabies affected countries due to the risk of catching the disease.
PHE said the British victim, who has not been named, died after becoming infected with rabies during a visit to Morocco, but added there is no risk to the wider public in relation to the case. Media in London described the victim as a male tourist.
Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunizations at PHE said: "This is an important reminder of the precautions people should take when travelling to countries where rabies is present.
"If you are bitten, scratched or licked by an animal you must wash the wound or site of exposure with plenty of soap and water and seek medical advice without delay.
"There is no risk to the wider public in relation to this case but, as a precautionary measure, health workers and close contacts are being assessed and offered vaccination when necessary."
Rabies is passed on through injuries such as bites and scratches from an infected animal. There are no documented instances of direct human to human transmission.
Rabies does not circulate in either wild or domestic animals in Britain, although some species of bats can carry a rabies-like virus, said PHE.
Health officials say no human cases of rabies acquired in Britain from animals other than bats have been reported since 1902, though a single case of human rabies acquired from a bat was reported in 2002 in Scotland.
Rabies is common in other parts of the world, especially in Asia and Africa. All travelers to rabies affected countries should avoid contact with dogs, cats and other animals wherever possible, and seek advice about the need for rabies vaccine prior to travel.
PHE said around 59,000 cases of rabies globally each year, but there has yet to be a single confirmed case of human-to-human transmission.
