Rabid Animals Confirmed in Charleston and Richland Counties; Three People and Two Pets Exposed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 20, 2026

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) confirmed that a  raccoon from Charleston County and a bat from Richland County have tested positive for rabies.

• In Charleston County, a raccoon was found near Chisholm Road and Srevir Street in Johns Island, S.C. No people are known to have been exposed at this time. One dog was exposed and will be quarantined per the Rabies Control Act.
• In Richland County, a bat was found near Lincoln and Aiken streets in Columbia, S.C. Three people were exposed and have been referred to their healthcare providers. One cat was exposed and will be quarantined per the Rabies Control Act. 

The Charleston County raccoon and the Richland County bat were submitted to DPH's laboratory for testing May 18, 2026, and were confirmed to have rabies May 19, 2026. If you believe you, someone you know, or your pets have come in contact with this raccoon, bat, or another animal that potentially has rabies, please call DPH's rabies 24-hour rabies reporting line at (888) 847-0902 (Select Option 2).  

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.

“Rabid bats have been known to transmit the rabies virus,” said Terri McCollister, Rabies Program manager. “People don’t always realize they or a pet have been bitten since bat teeth are tiny and bites are easy to overlook.” 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,” McCollister said.

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. In 2026, the Charleston County raccoon was the third animal to test positive for rabies in that county, and the Richland County bat was the first animal to test positive for rabies in that county. There have been 36 cases of rabid animals statewide this year. Since 2002, South Carolina has averaged approximately 136 positive cases a year. In 2025, of the 101 confirmed rabies cases in South Carolina eight were in Charleston County and one was in Richland County.

Contact information for your local Public Health offices is available at dph.sc.gov/RabiesContacts. For more information on rabies, visit dph.sc.gov/rabies or cdc.gov/rabies.

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