Health officials move to quell fears over rabies after infected worker dies

Dubai: Health officials have sought to quell public fears over rabies after a worker died from the zoonotic disease on Monday.

A few people have reportedly gone to Al Baraha Hospital, which treated the victim, thinking they too had rabies.

Humaid Al Qutami, Health Minister, told Gulf News this kind of panic was usual each time a report came out about a deadly disease, but stressed there was nothing to fear.

"Do not worry. There is nothing going on and if there is a rabies concern, we will notify the public and provide full services," he said.

Dr Ali Al Marzouqi, director of public health at the Department of Health and Medical Services (Dohms), agreed, saying a rabies epidemic in the UAE arising from the one case was unlikely.

"People cannot just think if you touch an animal that means you have rabies. If there was a suspected case, all authorities would have been immediately notified," he said.

"There are certain criteria for it to even be a suspected case: you have to have been in close contact with an animal, got bitten, and the animal must have symptoms of rabies."

The worker who died was in India when he was infected with rabies, after an animal bit his hand six months ago. He did not seek treatment and left for the UAE soon after.

On February 8, he was admitted to Al Baraha Hospital after developing symptoms of rabies, including hydrophobia. Once symptoms develop, there is little that can be done.

His was the first rabies case received in the UAE in a decade.

After receiving notice of the worker's case, health officials screened people who had been in contact with the worker for any possible exposure and found none.