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| Briton dies from rabies after cat bite in Morocco | Briton dies from rabies after cat bite in Morocco |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A Briton has died after contracting rabies while on holiday in Morocco, health officials have said. | A Briton has died after contracting rabies while on holiday in Morocco, health officials have said. |
| Public Health England officials said the victim became infected after being bitten by a cat. | Public Health England officials said the victim became infected after being bitten by a cat. |
| PHE issued a reminder to travellers to avoid coming into contact with animals when in rabies-affected countries. | PHE issued a reminder to travellers to avoid coming into contact with animals when in rabies-affected countries. |
| Rabies is not found in wild or domestic animals in the UK, but five Britons became infected between 2000 and 2017 after "animal exposures abroad". | Rabies is not found in wild or domestic animals in the UK, but five Britons became infected between 2000 and 2017 after "animal exposures abroad". |
| Some species of bats in the UK can carry a rabies-like virus. | |
| 'Important reminder' | |
| PHE did not release further details about the death. | |
| It said that while there is no risk to the wider public, as a precautionary measure, health workers and close contacts of the person who died are being assessed and offered vaccination if necessary. | |
| Rabies is a viral infection that affects the brain and central nervous system. It is passed on through bites and scratches from an infected animal. | |
| There are no documented instances of it being transmitted via human to human contact. The disease is common in Asia and Africa. | |
| Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisations 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." | |
| The last recorded rabies case in Britain was in 2012, after a UK resident was bitten by a dog in South Asia. |