Is rabies contagious? What is it - as Brit dies of rabies in Yorkshire after being 'scratched by stray dog' on holiday in Morocco

An UK national has died after becoming infected with rabies, following contact with a stray dog during a visit to Morocco. The Brit sadly died after being diagnosed on their return. The individual was diagnosed in Yorkshire and The Humber, with health workers and close contacts being assessed and offered vaccination as a precautionary measure.

According to the NHS, rabies is a rare but serious infection that's usually caught from a bite or scratch of an infected animal. It's almost always fatal once symptoms appear, but vaccination and early treatment can prevent it.

Rabies is passed on through injuries such as bites and scratches from an infected animal. It is nearly always fatal, but post exposure treatment is very effective at preventing disease if given promptly after exposure to the virus. The UK Health Security Agency has warned travellers to be careful around animals when travelling to rabies affected countries due to the risk of catching the disease.

Rabies is generally not contagious from person to person. The virus is primarily transmitted through the saliva of infected animals, typically through bites. While it is theoretically possible for human-to-human transmission through other routes like organ transplantation or rare saliva exposure to open wounds, this is not typical.

Dr Katherine Russell, Head of Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, at the UK Health Security Agency told The Mirror: “I would like to extend my condolences to this individual’s family at this time. If you are bitten, scratched or licked by an animal in a country where rabies is found then you should wash the wound or site of exposure with plenty of soap and water and seek medical advice without delay in order to get post-exposure treatment to prevent rabies.

“There is no risk to the wider public in relation to this case. Human cases of rabies are extremely rare in the UK, and worldwide there are no documented instances of direct human to human transmission.”