A patient who had been hospitalised in Førde with the rabies infection is now dead said Helse Førde.
“The patient was admitted to our intensive care unit, and died peacefully with the closest family around her” said Trine Hunskår Vingsnes, Director of Health in Helse Førde.
The woman died early on Monday night.
According to NRK news, she was in her 20s.
The hospital got to know of the patient’s contact with the rabid dog last Thursday.
Test results showed on Saturday that the patient was infected with rabies.
“The patient was bitten by a dog during a holiday trip in Southeast Asia two months ago and has gradually deteriorated” said a press release from Helse Førde on Monday.
The health trust stated on Saturday that the patient was seriously ill, but did not want to comment on the condition beyond that.
Several others in the travel party were also in contact with the dog. They have been followed up by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
Attacks the nervous system
Rabies is a very serious viral disease that attacks the nervous system and which is transmitted from animals to humans. The disease is also known as canine disease.
The disease starts with pain and discomfort around the bite site. Then comes turmoil, depression and anxiety attacks. And further, severe hyperactivity, aggression, hyperventilation, increased salivation and seizures. In some cases, paralysis occurs and coma without prior seizures according to the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
Not detected in Norway since 1815
Rabies is one of the diseases one can vaccinate against after possible infection. According to FHI, the vaccine must be given immediately, even with minimal contact with saliva.
It is recommended to avoid contact with foreign dogs, cats and other mammals in areas where rabies occurs.
In Norway, contact with bats should be avoided.
The prevalence of rabies is common in many parts of the world, but in Norway, rabies has not been detected in humans on the mainland since 1815 according to the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
