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A coroner has called for changes to how doctors collect patients’ travel histories after a woman died from rabies in the UK.
Yvonne Ford, 59, from Barnsley, died four months after contracting the disease when she was scratched by a puppy while visiting Morocco in February 2025.
She went to hospital in June with symptoms such as severe headaches, nausea, confusion, and difficulty moving. However, rabies was only considered after a psychiatrist asked about her recent travel.
Following the inquest in Sheffield, the coroner, Marilyn Whittle, said she would write to the government recommending a review of the current rule that requires doctors to ask about patients’ travel in the past 21 days.
Difficult Diagnosis
Doctors at Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust initially struggled to diagnose Ford because rabies is extremely rare in the UK. Early suspicions included Lyme disease, a tick-borne infection, or a possible mental health issue.
The correct diagnosis only became clearer after Ford’s husband, Ronald Ford, mentioned the dog scratch she received during the family’s trip to Morocco.
Ford was later transferred to Royal Hallamshire Hospital, where she died. Medical experts explained that rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear.
Early Signs Ignored
At the time of the scratch, the family did not think it was serious because the puppy did not break the skin. Ford simply cleaned the mark with a wet wipe.
Her symptoms started in late May, and she was admitted to hospital on 2 June.
Before her death, she developed hydrophobia, a common rabies symptom that causes an intense fear of water. The inquest heard that she refused to drink despite efforts by doctors and family members to keep her hydrated.
She was only moved to an infectious diseases unit on 11 June, after medical staff learned about the dog scratch.
Rare Disease in the UK
A psychiatrist, Dr Alexander Burns, asked about Ford’s foreign travel while considering Lyme disease as a possible diagnosis. He said he had never encountered a rabies case before and had to research its symptoms.
An infectious disease expert from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Dr Katherine Cartwright, told the jury that there have been only 26 rabies cases in the UK since 1946.
Although rabies has been eliminated within the UK, it still exists in many other countries.
She also explained that symptoms typically appear within four weeks of exposure but can sometimes take up to three months.
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Family Calls for Awareness
Ford had also visited her GP in March and April feeling unwell and mentioning insect bites.
Her son, Adam Ford, said the family hopes sharing her story will raise awareness.
“As a family, we feel a deep responsibility to raise awareness about rabies so that other families do not go through what we experienced.”
He described his mother as a loving wife, mother, and grandmother who was “the glue” holding the family together.
The jury concluded that the rarity of rabies and its unusual symptoms made the diagnosis difficult, but it would not have changed the final outcome.
Ford’s family said watching her rapid decline was deeply traumatic. They had to wear protective equipment when visiting her during her final hours.
A spokesperson for Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust expressed condolences and said the hospital is continuing discussions with the family about her care. They also advised travellers to check information about rabies risks when visiting countries where the disease is present.
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