The unnamed woman contracted the disease as a result of an untreated bite from a dog in India. Her death has prompted the WHO to introduce detailed country-by-country advice on pre-travel rabies vaccination, to sit alongside recommendations for yellow fever and malaria protection.
In the case of India, for example, it now says: “Rabies: High risk – Pre-exposure immunisation [is] recommended for travellers and other people for whom contact with domestic animals, particularly dogs, and other rabies vectors is likely” – advice that is repeated verbatim for almost every other tropical country.
My take: India is a country that is endemic to dogs, dog bites and rabies. We have an estimated 40,000 people dying due to Rabies every year, with every 3rd rabies death occurring in India!
This unfortunate death brings forth the need for all travelers to remember that while traveling to International & exotic destinations can be fun and life changing experience, we must remember to keep up to date with travel vaccinations & other health advisory before embarking on these trips.
Here are the CDC guidelines for travelers in to India, take care and remain healthy
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