FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
December 1, 2021

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) confirmed that:

• a raccoon found near Clearwater Lake Road and Kershaw Highway (US-521 North) in Camden, S.C., has tested positive for rabies. No people are known to have been exposed at this time. Two dogs were exposed and will be quarantined as required in the South Carolina Rabies Control Act.
• a skunk found near Mount Vernon Road and US-25 in Troy, S.C., has also tested positive for rabies. No people are known to have been exposed at this time. One dog was exposed and will also be quarantined as required in the South Carolina Rabies Control Act.

The raccoon and skunk were submitted to DHEC’s laboratory for testing on November 29, 2021, and both were confirmed to have rabies on November 30, 2021.

“It is very important for you to seek medical attention if you have been exposed to a wild, stray, or domestic animal. The rabies virus is found in the saliva of infected animals and can be transmitted through a bite, scratch, broken skin, and the mucous membranes of your eyes, nose, or mouth. Immediately wash the affected area with plenty of soap and water,” said Terri McCollister, Rabies Program Team Leader. “Contact your local Environmental Affairs office for further guidance.” 

Please report all animal bites, scratches, and exposures to potentially rabid animals to DHEC. If you believe that you, someone you know, or your pets have come in contact with this raccoon, skunk, or another animal that potentially has rabies, please call DHEC’s Environmental Affairs Sumter office at (803) 778-6548 or Greenwood office at (864) 227-5915 during normal business hours (8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday) or after hours and on holidays at (888) 847-0902 (Select Option 2).

It’s important to keep pets up to date on their rabies vaccination, as this is one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect against the disease. The raccoon from Kershaw county is the sixth animal from that county to test positive for rabies in 2021. The skunk from Greenwood county is the third animal from that county to test positive for rabies in 2021. There have been 94 cases of rabid animals statewide this year. Since 2002, South Carolina has averaged approximately 148 positive cases a year. In 2020, of the 168 confirmed rabies cases in South Carolina, eleven cases were in Kershaw County and three cases were in Greenwood County. 

Contact information for local Environmental Affairs offices is available at www.scdhec.gov/EAoffices. For more information on rabies, visit www.scdhec.gov/rabies or www.cdc.gov/rabies.

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