State: Kent County woman dies of rabies, first Delawarean since 1941

A Kent County woman died last week after being exposed to rabies — only the second Delawarean to contract and die of the disease, state health officials said Monday night.

The woman, who lived west of Felton, was admitted to a Delaware hospital in late July after becoming sick, officials said. Her condition quickly got worse and she was transferred to a Pennsylvania hospital for treatment. 

Test results did not confirm the presence of rabies until recently, officials said. The source of disease has not been identified. 

State officials said the last known person to die of rabies was a young boy in 1941. He was bitten by a stray dog.

Rabies is an infectious disease that affects a person's nervous system. It can occur through a bite or scratch of an infected animal or if saliva from an animal gets into the eyes, nose, mouth or opening in the skin.

UPDATE: After rabies death, state says it doesn't know how Kent County woman was exposed

 From the archives: Delaware 4-year-old dies of rabies in 1941, despite timely treatment

Since January, the Division of Public Health has performed rabies tests on 83 animals, nine of which were confirmed to be rabid. This includes three foxes, three raccoons, one cat, one dog and one horse.

Rabies tests performed on a sheep and a dog were indeterminate, officials said. 

There have been no reported cases of human-to-human transmission other than through organ transplantation, officials said. 

Health officials are urging Delawareans to vaccinate their pets, avoid touching unfamiliar animals and keep an eye out for potentially rabid animals, such as foxes, bats and raccoons.

Officials said the hospitals that provided care to the patients "are conducting risk assessments with staff to identify anyone who may have had direct exposure to infectious materials and coordinating with state health officials."

The Division of Public Health is also assessing anyone who might have had contact with the patient before she became ill. 

Officials said its "imperative" residents report animal bites and scratches immediately to state health officials. 

People should call their doctor or call the DPH Rabies Program at 302-744-4995 or 1-888-295-5156 outside of business hours.  

If you have come in contact with an animal that might have rabies, call the Department of Agriculture at 302-698-4630 or rabies.hotline@state.de.us.

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Contact Meredith Newman at (302) 324-2386 or mnewman@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @MereNewman.