Rabid Raccoon Confirmed in Newberry County; Two People and Two Pets Exposed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Dec. 10, 2024

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) confirmed that a raccoon found near Chalet Road and Songbird Lane in Prosperity, S.C., has tested positive for rabies. Two people were confirmed to have been exposed. Both people have been referred to their health care providers. Two dogs from out of state, which are no longer in South Carolina, were exposed. Their state public health department has been notified.

The raccoon was submitted to DPH's laboratory for testing Dec. 5, 2024, and was confirmed to have rabies Dec. 6, 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 Columbia office at (803) 896-4680 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).

 “Refraining from handling wild and stray animals, and 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 director. “Any mammal has the ability to carry and transmit the disease to people or pets. Therefore, give wild and stray animals plenty of space. You can’t assume an animal has rabies just by the behavior it is displaying. Other common diseases, injuries, and illnesses can mimic similar behaviors. The only way to know is to test the brain of the animal.” 

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. An exposure is defined as direct contact (such as through broken skin from a bite or open bleeding wound or to mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, or mouth) with saliva or brain/nervous system tissue from an infected animal.

This raccoon is the third animal in Newberry County to test positive for rabies in 2024. There have been 76 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 Newberry 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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