COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) has confirmed multiple positive rabies cases in animals in three different counties:

• A stray cat found near Easler Highway and Leahs Loop in Greeleyville, S.C. has tested positive for rabies. One person was exposed and has been referred to their health care provider.
• A second stray cat found near Heritage Highway and Underpass Road in Bamberg, S.C. has also tested positive for rabies. One person was exposed and has been referred to their health care provider. Five stray cats were possibly exposed and will be quarantined as required in the South Carolina Rabies Control Act.
• A skunk found near Chiffon Street and Rocky River Road in Lancaster, S.C. has tested positive for rabies. No people are known to have been exposed at this time. One dog was exposed and will be quarantined as required in the Rabies Control Act.

The Williamsburg County and Bamberg County stray cats and the Lancaster County skunk were submitted to DHEC’s laboratory for testing on August 22, 2023, and was confirmed to have rabies on August 24, 2023. If you believe you, someone you know or your pets have come in contact with this Williamsburg County cat, Bamberg County cat or Lancaster County skunk or another animal that potentially has rabies, please call DHEC’s Public Health Conway office at (843) 915-8801, Orangeburg office at (803) 533-5480 or Rock Hill office at (803) 909-7096 during normal business hours (8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday) or after hours and on holidays at (888) 847-0902 (Select Option 2).

“Keeping your pets up to date on their rabies vaccination is the easiest way to protect you and your family from this deadly virus,” said Terri McCollister, Rabies Program team leader. “Any mammal has the ability to carry and transmit the disease to people or pets. Therefore, give wild and stray animals plenty of space.”

In South Carolina, rabies is most often found in wildlife such as raccoons, skunks, foxes and bats, but pets are just as susceptible to the virus. If you see an animal in need, avoid touching it. Contact someone trained in handling animals, such as your local animal control officer, wildlife control officer or a wildlife rehabilitator. An exposure is defined as direct contact (such as through broken skin or mucous membranes in the eyes, nose or mouth) with saliva or brain/nervous system tissue from an infected animal.

The Williamsburg County stray cat and the Bamberg County stray cat are the first animals in their counties to test positive for rabies in 2023, and the skunk is the fifth animal to test positive for rabies in Lancaster County this year. There have been 50 cases of rabid animals statewide this year. Since 2002, South Carolina has averaged approximately 148 positive cases a year. In 2022, none of the 83 confirmed rabies cases in South Carolina were in Williamsburg or Lancaster County, and one was in Bamberg County.

Contact information for local Public Health offices is available at https://scdhec.gov/RabiesContacts. For more information on rabies, visit scdhec.gov/rabies or cdc.gov/rabies.

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