Number 9: Omar Zouhri Omar Zouhri, a native of Aylesbury, decided
to take a holiday in Morocco. While there, he was bitten by a stray cat. He sought medical
attention during his trip but returned to the UK without any further symptoms. He was
not given any vaccination against rabies during his stay in Morocco. The 58-year-old man was
taken to the hospital three months after his holiday was over. He was experiencing intense
pain and had to be sedated. It was only during this stay at the hospital that he received
treatment for rabies, but it was already too late. Zouhri's nephew told the media that
his uncle had tried to fight the disease. Regretfully, the man died while under medical
care.
Number 8: Several victims in Newbury A 60-year-old resident of Newbury was attacked
by a rabid fox that had come out of the woods. It lunged at her, before she could react,
and then ran away. The animal was later found and euthanized. This hadn’t been the first
such incident to be reported in the area. Another sexagenarian was bitten, but in her
case, the wild animal wasn’t caught. Authorities, however, suspect it might have been the same
fox.
What is it? Rabies is a viral disease that is easily transmitted
between animals and humans. It spreads when an infected animal bites or scratches another
being. Once symptoms begin to appear, victims rarely survive. It takes an average of three
weeks to three months, after being exposed to the virus, before this happens. That being
said, it can actually take years before symptoms manifest. From 2016 to 2020, only 14 people
displaying signs of this disease have managed to survive. In general, dogs are the most
common conductors of rabies, especially when it affects human beings. Even a seemingly
docile dog can transmit the disease, as one of the symptoms of rabies is exceptionally
aggressive behavior. In the US, however, the most common source of infection is bats. Though
any mammal can technically suffer from this disease, it’s rare for it to affect rodents.
Number 7: Unnamed patient in Japan In May 2020, an unnamed patient was discovered
suffering from rabies in the Aichi Prefecture of Japan. It was the first case reported in
the country since 2006. Though Japan had been rabies-free since 1957, two men traveling
from abroad contracted the virus and died upon their return. The patient in question
was suspected of contracting the virus in the Philippines where he’d been bitten by
a wild dog. The patient suffered from intense hydrophobia as well as from pain and vomiting.
He was hospitalized in serious condition and, as of the recording of this video, his status
has not improved.
Number 6: Dacula children A rabid fox attacked two young, unnamed children
on May the 22nd, 2020. They were locals of Dacula, a small town in the state of Georgia.
Gwinnett Animal Welfare and Enforcement managed to catch the fox. It tested positive for rabies,
and the children had to get the first round of inoculation. After this incident, authorities
urged residents to keep their pets updated on all their mandatory vaccinations.
Where is it located? This virus can be found all around the world,
but the frequency of humans affected by it has been gradually diminishing over the decades.
In the early 1990s, the yearly rate was 54,000, and it plummeted to 26,000 by 2010. There’s
collaboration currently between several globally spread institutions, such as the World Health
Organization, that aims to eliminate deaths in humans from rabies by 2030. India is the
country with the greatest number of human victims, which is due to the large population
of stray dogs. In the United States, there have only been 125 reported cases of human
rabies between the late 1960s and 2018. The reduction of cases all over the world is due
to animal control programs. Governments and owners have become more aware of the importance
of vaccinating both pets and stray dogs.
Number 5: Ali Dost Jamali Ali Dost Jamali, a 5-year-old child in Sukkur,
Pakistan, tragically succumbed to rabies after being bitten by a stray dog. Jamali was rushed
to the Dadu hospital, though he was refused treatment at first. Authorities claimed this
was due to a lack of rabies vaccines. He was redirected to the Nawabshah hospital, where
he was treated for severe injuries. His parents were informed that, though the doctors had
prescribed rabies injections, these were unavailable as well. Jamali’s family protested against
health authorities, as the young child’s death was entirely preventable.
How will it kill you? At first, rabies seemingly does nothing to
affect its hosts’ body. It’s almost impossible to detect the disease in the first stages.
This is why regular pet vaccination and immediate treatment after being bitten by a suspected
infected animal is vital. When first bitten, nothing out of the ordinary will happen. The
wound might heal well or get infected, but it’s unrelated to the rabies virus. When
the incubation period is over, the first symptoms begin to show. Headaches and fever are common
and usually followed by anxiety, paralysis, agitation, aggressive behavior, intense paranoia
and even hallucinations. Some people even develop hydrophobia, or fear of water, as
well as hypersalivation and seizures. The symptoms only get worse from there, involving
swelling of the brain, delirium, coma, and finally death. The victim’s ordeal finally
comes to a stop within 2 to 10 days after the first signs of the rabies infection began
to appear.
Number 4: Unnamed Lisbon woman In May of 2020, a 76-year-old woman from Lisbon
was resting in her backyard, when she received an unexpected visitor. It was about 4 pm when
a wild fox appeared out of nowhere and bit her on her legs and hand. Her husband came
to the woman’s rescue, killing the animal. She was rushed to the hospital and was treated
for her wounds. The dead fox was sent to the Maine Center for Disease Control for further
investigation. The results came in positive. The animal that attacked the elderly woman
had rabies. After being informed, the unnamed victim began the inoculation process.
Number 3: Rabies trial This case starts innocently enough and involves
a man named Yao, who’d bought a puppy at a pet store. He got his pet vaccinated against
rabies, but saw the dog wasn’t adapting well to his new home. Yao hired Hu, a dog
trainer because the puppy refused to eat. While treating the dog, Hu was bitten. The
handler washed his wound, and according to Yao, declined to be vaccinated. The dog’s
owner beat his pet with a stick as a punishment and the puppy didn’t survive. A few months
later, Hu began feeling ill. He sought medical attention but died within seven days. It was
subsequently discovered that he’d contracted rabies. Hu’s family decided to sue Yao.
The court determined that the primary responsibility had been Hu’s for refusing the vaccine.
The prevailing argument was that Yao should still be fined. The victim’s relatives demanded
1.8-million-yuan but were awarded 460,000 yuan, the equivalent of $66,500.
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How to survive? Because rabies is so silent and uneventful
during its incubation period, it’s of vital importance to prevent and manage it from the
start. Once the patient exhibits symptoms, the mortality rate is 99%, even under intensive
care. Vaccinating pets and stray dogs is critical towards preventing this disease from spreading.
All animal bites should be reported and checked by doctors. Up until the late 17th century,
all cases of rabies transmitted to humans resulted in death. Louis Pasteur developed
a vaccine in 1885 which curbed the disease’s potentially catastrophic impact. Diagnosing
rabies is difficult, when considering the fact that it’s often confused with other
illnesses. The fluorescent antibody test allows doctors to visualize the illness’ antigen,
but it’s unreliable. The only guaranteed way of identifying the virus is by taking
samples of the victim’s brain after death. When bitten by a wild animal, a stray, or
even a pet that isn’t certifiably vaccinated, it’s vital to take preventive measures.
Cleaning the wound with soap for at least 10 minutes is recommended. If the animal that
had bitten the human escapes and can’t be kept under observation, vaccination is mandatory.
Number 2: Unnamed Michigan man An unnamed Michigan man began experiencing
pain and numbness in his left arm and hand, as well as in his lower neck. He visited a
chiropractor but ended up in the ER when his symptoms got worse. During testing, the man
displayed shortness of breath and was intubated. The anesthesiologist said the procedure was
easy because of the pharynx’s lack of muscle tone. While under observation, the patient
became weakened and eventually became completely paralyzed. It was then that the family revealed
the man had a history of raising wild animals as pets. The emerging theory was that he’d
contracted rabies after being bitten by one of the bats he’d taken care of, but it wasn’t
confirmed. The man was ultimately withdrawn from life support and died soon after.
Number 1: Unnamed woman A 65-year-old unnamed woman had decided to
take a trip to India. During her journey, she was attacked by a stray puppy. She didn’t
get vaccinated and, within six weeks, began feeling sick. It all started with pain in
her right arm. Three days later, the soreness got so severe that she visited the hospital.
She was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome and returned home. Five days later, she returned
to the ER, her symptoms far worse. She had intense anxiety, could barely swallow water,
and struggled to breathe. She was given anxiety medication and released. The very next day,
she was back at the hospital, this time taken by an ambulance. Doctors believed she was
suffering from a blockage in her heart. She went into surgery that very night, but the
surgeons realized the diagnosis had been wrong. It was only after she woke up and became violent
that her husband told the doctors that a stray dog in India had bitten her. Tests confirmed
the unnamed woman indeed had contracted rabies but by then it was too late. She died two
weeks later.
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in the comments section below.