‘High risk’ for rabies in UK tourists spots for holidaymakers

Thursday, November 15, 2018

There are high risk for rabies in some of the most popular holiday destinations for Brits including countries like Turkey, Egypt and Morocco.

As per the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) last year around 1.6 million British tourists visited Turkey in 2017, Egypt and Morocco welcomed 319,000 and 650,000 British visitors respectively.

There will be high risk for viral disease ( transmitted via a bite from an infected animal) in European countries of Romania, Lithuania, Serbia and Montenegro. The places were classified by the Public Health England.

Thailand, India and Mexico were other high risk countries that are famous among the British tourist. As per FCO Brits make more than one million visits to Thailand every year.

However, the developing countries were at a higher risk for rabies.

PHE said that Rabies is common in other parts of the world, especially in Asia and Africa. All travellers to rabies affected countries should avoid contact with dogs, cats and other animals wherever possible, and seek advice about the need for a rabies vaccine prior to travel.

There is low risk in developed counties and the US and Canada are comparatively safe.

Earlier this month a British tourist in Morocco died after being bitten by a cat.

Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisations at PHE there was no risk to the wider public in relation but a precautionary measure should be taken, health workers and close contacts were being assessed and provided with vaccination if required.

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