A patient dies of rabies in New Zealand

tWhile New Zealand wants to be reassured, it revealed its first case of rabies on Thursday. Authorities said the viral disease had killed a patient who contracted it abroad, but there was no danger to the public. The doctors applied all the procedures Infection control The Ministry of Health said the two hospitals where the patient was treated, first in Whangarei (North) and then in the neighboring city of Auckland.

“Transmission of rabies from person to person is extremely rare, almost unknown, and therefore there is no danger to the public,” the ministry said in a statement. Rabies is usually transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal that bites a person. Read alsoAvian influenza: the specter of a pandemicThe patient, who was not identified, was suspected of having the disease when he was admitted to hospital in early March. Lab results later confirmed it was the first case of rabies in New Zealand, which has a population of 5 million.

New Zealand demands vaccination

“New Zealand has no rabies in animals or humans, and this condition does not affect our status as a rabies-free country,” the Department of Health said. “Travelers should be aware that thousands of cases of rabies in humans are reported every year around the world, including in a number of countries in our region,” said Director of Public Health Nick Jones. called people to for vaccination Before traveling to countries where rabies is common.

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