Tourist dies of rabies

[Mike J]

Sad story. 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7014395/Norwegian-tourist-24-dies-rabies-rescuing-street-puppy-Philippine-holiday.html

Birgitte Kallestad, 24, from Hordaland on the Norwegian west coast, died on Monday night - more than two months after coming into contact with the dog while travelling with friends in February.

According to a statement from Birgitte's family, the group were out riding mopeds when they came across a stray puppy on the side of the road, which Birgitte carried into her basket and took back to the resort where she was staying.

After washing and grooming the dog, Birgitte and her friends played with it in the garden. 

Birgitte's family said everyone sustained minor bites and scratches from the dog during this time - as most puppy owners do.   

Birgitte, who was a health worker employed at Førde central hospital, patched up and sterilized the scrapes herself. 

The cuts were so small that nobody saw the need for further medical supervision, the family said.

It was only after the 24-year-old had returned home to Norway that she began to feel unwell.   

Initial symptoms of rabies include a fever and headaches, but as the disease worsens patients can suffer hallucinations, muscle spasms and respiratory failure.

Doctors struggled to diagnose the problem and no one, not even Birgitte herself, connected her illness to the dog bite.

It has been over 200 years since rabies was last detected on the Norwegian mainland.

She was hospitalized several times as her condition worsened, before eventually being admitted full time, the family said. 

Finally, a doctor in the hospital in Førde suspected that Birgitte's symptoms were signs of rabies. 

Samples sent to the Public Health Authority in Sweden confirmed these suspicions on Saturday.

Neither Birgitte nor anyone she was travelling with had been inoculated against the disease, because it is not on the list of vaccines required for the Philippines unless you plan to travel to areas with poor hygiene and sanitation.

Birgitte's family are now campaigning for rabies to be included on the program for the Philippines and other places where it is is possible to contract the disease from street animals.  

'Our dear Birgitte loved animals,' a family spokesperson said. 

'Our fear is that this will happen to others who have a warm heart like her. We want this vaccine to be included in the program for places where it can be rabies, and that people become aware of the dangers.' 

'If we manage to achieve this, the death of our sunbeam can save others.' 

Birgitte died on Monday night, eight days after being admitted to the hospital where she worked.

[Jack Peterson]

46 minutes ago, Mike J said:

Neither Birgitte nor anyone she was travelling with had been inoculated against the disease, because it is not on the list of vaccines required for the Philippines unless you plan to travel to areas with poor hygiene and sanitation.

 So the  inoculation should be on the list for the country as a whole EH? 

[Dave Hounddriver]

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Mike J said:

Birgitte, who was a health worker employed at Førde central hospital, patched up and sterilized the scrapes herself. 

The cuts were so small that nobody saw the need for further medical supervision, the family said.

Here is a case where the doctors of the Philippines would have performed better than we give them credit for.  From my experience, the first thing a Philippine doctor would do is prescribe anti-rabies.  They know their own country and the diseases here.

In my opinion, there is no need for tourists to be inoculated against rabies.  Tourists being infected with rabies are a rare occurrence.  There is a need for tourists to be aware that rabies exists here and to consult a local doctor if there is any chance they may have been infected.

The reaction of Birgitte's family is understandable and I hope Birgitte can rest in peace.

[RubberChicken]

None of those highly intelligent people had a bulb light up in their brains and connect the dots in time. Fate is strange and separate subject. 

This event is so rare a required rabies shot is less viable then knowing to avoid street dogs and alternately what to do when the skin is broken.

[Ram1957]

You would think of all people a health worker would have taken action after the dog bit her, especially since it was a stray. Sorry for the family's lost but common sense goes along way.

[Howard]

RIP, I got the Rabies shots here after getting bit by a street cat.

[Arizona Kid]

22 minutes ago, Howard said:

RIP, I got the Rabies shots here after getting bit by a street cat.

The Barangays around where I live offer the shots for free if someone is bitten. 

[Howard]

4 minutes ago, Arizona Kid said:

The Barangays around where I live offer the shots for free if someone is bitten. 

Unfortunately I had to pay.

[Arizona Kid]

12 minutes ago, Howard said:

Unfortunately I had to pay.

It wasn't that much was it? Maybe 8k? Not that much for peace of mind!

[Jack Peterson]

Just now, Arizona Kid said:

8k? Not that much for peace of mind!

  Plus a continued Life of course