Rabid Raccoon Confirmed in Charleston County; One Pet Exposed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Mar. 10, 2025

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) confirmed that a raccoon found near Woodland Shores Road and Saltgrass Pointe Drive in Charleston, 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 South Carolina Rabies Control Act.

The raccoon was submitted to DPH's laboratory for testing March 6, 2025, and was confirmed to have rabies March 7, 2025. 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 Charleston office at (843) 953-4713 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).

Please report all animal bites, scratches, and exposures to potentially rabid animals to DPH. “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 manager. “Contact your local Public Health office for further guidance.”

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 second animal in Charleston County to test positive for rabies in 2025. There have been 11 cases of rabid animals statewide this year. Since 2002, South Carolina has averaged approximately 144 positive cases a year. In 2024, five of the 81 confirmed rabies cases in South Carolina were in Charleston 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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