A woman died of rabies 4 months after being scratched by a dog while on vacation. The investigation shows that the diagnosis was made only after he arrived at psychiatry

A woman from Barnsley, UK, died of rabies four months after she was scratched by a stray dog ​​while on holiday in Morocco, and an open coroner's inquest says the disease was only identified after doctors sought a psychiatric assessment, Mirror Online reports.

Yvonne Ford (right) and her daughter (left). PHOTO: Facebook / Robyn Thomson

Yvonne Ford, 59, was on holiday with her family in February 2025 when a frightened dog scratched her. He was on a beach and ignored the superficial wound. He did not seek medical help and limited himself to cleaning the scratch with a wet tissue, according to the aspects revealed by the investigation and retained by Sheffield Crown Court.

The symptoms were mistaken for a possible psychiatric condition

In the following months, however, her condition gradually deteriorated. In June 2025, Yvonne Ford arrived at Barnsley Hospital with severe headaches, nausea, mobility problems, disorientation and episodes of intense anxiety.

Because the medical team was unable to explain the symptoms, a psychiatric consultation was requested.

Psychiatrist Alexander Burns reported that it was requested because doctors suspected a psychiatric cause. The doctor began by asking the family about any recent travel, initially suspecting Lyme disease. The family said Yvonne had been in Florida but had not been bitten by bugs.

Only then did the woman's husband mention the scratch caused by the stray dog ​​in Morocco, information about which the doctors had not been informed until that moment.

The psychiatrist stated that after learning this detail, he began to suspect rabies, especially in the context of the severe neurological symptoms. Having no previous experience with this disease, he researched the symptoms and found that the clinical picture matched perfectly.

Rabies, fatal in 100% of cases after the onset of symptoms

Yvonne Ford was transferred to the infectious disease ward of the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield, where she died on 11 June 2025.

Infectious disease specialist Dr Katharine Cartwright explained to the jury that rabies is a viral disease with 100% mortality once symptoms set in. However, the vaccine is highly effective if given immediately after exposure.

Yvonne's symptoms began at the end of May, meaning that at the time of her presentation to hospital, there was no life-saving intervention, according to the doctor. The specialist emphasized that the disease is “incredibly rare” and the combination of symptoms was “extremely difficult” for Barnsley doctors.

Previous visits to the doctor, unrelated to rabies

The four-day inquest is also looking at visits Yvonne Ford made to emergency rooms in Barnsley and Wakefield, as well as to her GP, in March and April 2025 when she complained of feeling unwell and alleged insect bites.

But Dr. Cartwright clarified that these episodes were not related to rabies, stating that the disease progresses rapidly after the onset of symptoms, leading to death within weeks.