A 47-year-old man from Vietnam has suffered what medical professionals describe as one of the most agonising deaths imaginable after contracting a rare and extreme form of rabies.
The victim, from the Gia Lai province, was admitted to hospital with severe symptoms including vomiting, fatigue, and an extreme, irrational fear of water – a hallmark of the condition known as 'rabies hydrophobia'.
Doctors confirmed the man had been scratched by a neighbour's bat roughly two months before his symptoms began to appear. Despite the long incubation period, the virus proved fatal within days of him seeking medical help.
A Terrifying and Painful Decline
Medical staff at the hospital documented the man's rapid and distressing decline. His case was particularly severe, characterised by:
- Intense hydrophobia: An uncontrollable panic at the sight or sound of water.
- Violent spasms: Severe body convulsions, especially when attempting to drink.
- Respiratory failure: The virus ultimately led to his inability to breathe.
Despite intensive care efforts, the man's condition deteriorated swiftly. "This is one of the most horrific and painful ways a human can die," one medical expert stated.
A Stark Public Health Warning
This tragic case has served as a grim reminder of the dangers of rabies, a vaccine-preventable disease. Health officials emphasise that any scratch or bite from a wild or unfamiliar animal, including bats, requires immediate medical attention.
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) – a course of vaccines administered after a potential exposure – is 100% effective if given before symptoms appear. Once symptoms like hydrophobia present themselves, the disease is almost invariably fatal.
This incident highlights the critical importance of seeking urgent medical care after any possible exposure to the rabies virus, no matter how minor the scratch may seem.
