New Zealand revealed its first-ever case of rabies on Thursday and said the viral disease killed a patient who caught it abroad but said there was no risk to the public.
At the two hospitals where the patient was treated, doctors used “all infection control measures”, first in Whangarei (north), then in the neighboring city of Auckland, the Health Ministry said.
“Human-to-human transmission of rabies is extremely rare, almost unknown, and therefore there is no risk to the public,” the ministry said in a statement.
Rabies is usually transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal that bites someone.
The patient, whose identity has not been released, was suspected of having the disease when he was admitted to hospital in early March.
Laboratory results later confirmed it was the first-ever case of rabies in New Zealand, which has a population of five million.
“New Zealand has no rabies in its animal or human population and this case does not affect our status as a rabies-free country,” the Department of Health said.
“However, travelers should be aware that thousands of human rabies cases are reported worldwide each year, including in a number of countries in our Region,” said Public Health Director Nick Jones.
He urged people to get vaccinated before traveling to countries where rabies is common.