FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 26, 2023

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

• A bat found near Magnolia Tree and Crescent River Roads in Lexington, S.C., has tested positive for rabies. One person was potentially exposed and has been referred to their healthcare provider. One dog and one pig were exposed and will be quarantined as required in the South Carolina Rabies Control Act and recommended by the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV) Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention.
• A fox found near Hoffman and Griffin Drives in Orangeburg, S.C., has also tested positive for rabies. No people are known to be exposed at this time. A cat was exposed and will be quarantined as required in the South Carolina Rabies Control Act and recommended by the NASPHV Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention.

The Lexington County bat and the Orangeburg County fox were submitted to DHEC's laboratory for testing on June 22, 2023, and were confirmed to have rabies on June 23, 2023. If you believe that you, someone you know, or your pets have come in contact with this Lexington County bat or Orangeburg County fox or another animal that potentially has rabies, please call DHEC's Public Health Columbia office at (803) 896-0620 or Orangeburg office at (803) 533-5480 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).

Livestock animals are susceptible to rabies and all livestock with USDA approved rabies vaccinations should be vaccinated. Cattle and horses, however, are the most frequently reported infected livestock species. Species for which licensed vaccines are not available (goat and swine), that have frequent contact with humans, or are considered valuable, should also be vaccinated.

Never handle a bat or any wild or stray animal, alive or dead, with your bare hands. Any bat that could have had potential contact with people, pets, or livestock should be safely trapped in a sealed container and not touched. Never release a bat that has potentially exposed a person or pet. Once a bat is released, it cannot be tested for rabies.

“Bats have tiny teeth and people don’t always realize they or a pet have been bitten,” said Terri McCollister, Rabies Program team leader. "Because of this, you should always assume a person or pet has potentially been bitten when:

• They wake up to find a bat in a room or tent;
• A bat is found where children, pets, or persons with impaired mental capacity (intoxicated or mentally disabled) have been left unattended; or
• They have been in direct contact with a bat.”

“Although bats can carry rabies, not every bat is infected with the virus. Bats are an important part of South Carolina's ecosystems and deserve a healthy degree of respect just like all wild animals,” said McCollister.

You cannot tell if a bat, or any other animal, has rabies by simply looking at it. Rabies must be confirmed in a laboratory. Unusual behavior in bats that might indicate the animal has rabies includes daytime activity, inability to fly, and being found in places they are not usually seen, like in your home or on your lawn. 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. Be sure to immediately wash any part of your body that may have come in contact with saliva or neural tissue with plenty of soap and water and seek medical attention. It is 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.

There have been 28 cases of rabid animals statewide this year. This bat is the fourth animal in Lexington County to test positive for rabies, and this fox is the second animal to test positive for rabies in Orangeburg County. Since 2002, South Carolina has averaged approximately 148 positive cases a year. In 2022, eight of the 83 confirmed rabies cases in South Carolina were in Lexington County, and one was in Orangeburg County.

Contact information for your 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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