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(cutting Mail on Sunday 6/5/01 by Rachel Ellis and Ross Slater) A man was seriously ill in hospital with rabies yesterday after being bitten by a dog in tthe Phillipines. And last night his wife was keeping vigil at his bedside as University College Hospital, London, began an extraordinary operation to isolate him from other patients. The victim - who is not being identified - was bitten on the hand by a stray while he and his wife were visiting their two daughters. A female counsin said-!" He didn't think much of it at the time and certainly didn't think the dog had rabies. It was only when he returned to England, last week that he felt unwell. His GP sent hom to hospital - and later we heard that the dog had died. The Phillipines born man, 55, who has lived in Britain for some time now, is being looked after in the intensive care by experts from the hospital's centre for tropical medicine. His room being guarded and one hospital worker said "I've never seen anything like it. The man is under a tent and doctors arewearing protective clothing and visors. There were even sheets over the windows,." Meanwhile, the victims wife and five doctors and nurses have been vaccinated against the disease. However, transmission from human to human is very rare and a hosdpital spokeswoman said "There's no risk to the public from this case and only a minute risk to those who have been in contact with him. As the man's condition remained stable, a Methodist priest said prayers sith his family in hospital yesterday. The minister who asked not to be named said "I'vd known the family for years and they are members of my church. The man is extremely unwell and unable to talk. Its very sad." The man's cousin said "We all feel numb. We just can't believe this" Up to 40,000 people all over the world contract rabies each year - and only six have been known to survive. The last case in Britain was in 1996 when a patient contracted the disease from Africa. Since1946, there have ebeen 20 cases in England and Wales - ALL ORIGINATING from abroad. The last case contracted contracted in Britain was in 1902. The disease can incubate in the body for up to eight weeks before the symptoms - which include anxiety, headache, fever, muscle spasm and paralysis - begin to show. |
