Rabid Raccoon Confirmed in Aiken County; One Pet Exposed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Sept. 5, 2024

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) confirmed that a raccoon found near Bridge Creek and Piper roads in Ridge Spring, South Carolina, 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 South Carolina Rabies Control Act.

The raccoon was submitted to DPH's laboratory for testing on Aug. 29, 2024, and was confirmed to have rabies on Aug. 30, 2024. If you believe you, someone you know, or your pets have come in contact with this raccoon, or another animal that potentially has rabies, please call DPH's Aiken office at (803) 642-1637 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).

“Rabies is usually transmitted through a bite or scratch that allows saliva from an infected animal to be introduced into the body of a person or another animal," said Terri McCollister, Rabies Program director. "However, infected saliva or neural tissue contact with open wounds or areas such as the eyes, nose, or mouth could also potentially transmit rabies. To reduce the risk of getting rabies, always give wild and stray animals their space.”

If you see an animal in need, avoid touching it and contact someone trained in handling animals, such as your local animal control officer, wildlife control operator, or a wildlife rehabilitator. Please report all animal bites, scratches, and exposures to potentially rabid animals to DPH.

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. This raccoon is the fourth animal in Aiken County to test positive for rabies in 2024. There have been 52 cases of rabid animals statewide this year. Since 2002, South Carolina has averaged approximately 148 positive cases a year. In 2023, one of the 78 confirmed rabies cases in South Carolina was in Aiken County.

Contact information for 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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