Family Endures Trauma as Grandmother Succumbs to Rabies After Holiday Scratch
A family has described the profound trauma of watching their grandmother deteriorate rapidly and die from rabies, as revealed during an inquest in Sheffield. Yvonne Ford, a 59-year-old from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, tragically passed away on June 11, 2025, just four months after sustaining a very minor scratch from a stray dog while on holiday in Morocco.
Fatal Injury on a Sun Lounger
The incident occurred on February 12, 2025, when Ms Ford was relaxing on a sun lounger at a beach in Morocco. She accidentally startled a stray dog, resulting in a scratch that was described as very minor with no evident bleeding. Despite the seemingly innocuous nature of the injury, it would later prove fatal.
Ms Ford was admitted to Barnsley Hospital on June 2, 2025, after falling ill with symptoms including severe headaches, nausea, mobility issues, and disorientation. Her condition declined quickly, and doctors initially struggled to diagnose the cause. It was only when a psychiatrist, called in due to concerns about hallucinations and anxiety, inquired about her travel history that rabies was first suspected.
Rapid Decline and Heartbreaking Final Moments
After the diagnosis, Ms Ford was transferred to the infectious disease unit at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield. However, her condition was irreversible; rabies is 100% fatal once symptoms appear, though it can be prevented with a vaccine. She died nine days after admission, with her family by her side, all wearing personal protective equipment including gloves, masks, visors, and aprons.
Her daughter, Robyn Thomson, read a statement to the inquest jury, expressing the family's determination that her death will not be without meaning. She paid tribute to her mother as a loving, active, and devoted family woman, a fantastic wife, wonderful mother, and exceptional grandmother. Ms Thomson described the agony of watching Yvonne deteriorate so rapidly, calling it extremely traumatic and noting they had to witness her decline in real time without explanation and with growing fear.
Family's Concerns and Public Health Warning
The family raised concerns about the basic care Ms Ford received at Barnsley Hospital, stating she was not treated with the level of dignity and respect she deserved. They recounted desperate efforts to hydrate her with a syringe as she refused to drink, and noted she was spitting out saliva every five to ten seconds before her death—a manifestation of hydrophobia, a symptom unique to rabies.
Infectious diseases expert Dr. Katharine Cartwright from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals testified that rabies symptoms typically begin within four weeks of exposure but can take up to three months or even years. She confirmed that Ms Ford began exhibiting symptoms at the end of May, meaning nothing could have been done to save her at that stage. Dr. Cartwright also highlighted that there have been only 26 cases of rabies in the UK since 1946, underscoring its rarity.
Ms Thomson emphasized the critical need for public awareness, urging anyone scratched or bitten by an animal abroad to seek urgent medical advice immediately. She expressed a heartfelt wish to prevent another family from enduring such trauma, loss, and devastation. The inquest continues as further details are examined.
