Rabid Raccoons Confirmed in Beaufort and Newberry Counties; One Person and One Pet Exposed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Feb. 13, 2026

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) confirmed that two raccoons from different counties have tested positive for rabies.

• A raccoon from Newberry County was found near Graham and Griffin roads in Pomaria, S.C. 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.
• A raccoon from Beaufort County was found near Saw Timber and Victoria drives in Bluffton, S.C. One person was exposed and has been referred to their health care provider.

Both raccoons were submitted to DPH's laboratory for testing Feb. 11, 2026, and were confirmed to have rabies Feb. 12, 2026. If you believe you, someone you know, or your pets have come in contact with either raccoon or another animal that potentially has rabies, please call DPH's Columbia office at (803) 896-4680 or the Beaufort office at (843) 525-7603 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).

“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 manager. “Any mammal has the ability to carry and transmit the disease to people or pets. Therefore, give wild and stray animals plenty of space.”

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. If you see an animal in need, avoid touching it. Contact someone trained in handling animals, such as your local animal control officer, wildlife control officer, or a wildlife rehabilitator. 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.

In 2026, the Newberry County raccoon and the Beaufort County raccoon are the first animals to test positive for rabies in those counties. There have been 11 cases of rabid animals statewide this year. Since 2002, South Carolina has averaged approximately 136 positive cases a year. In 2025, none of the 101 confirmed rabies cases in South Carolina were in Newberry County, and two were in Beaufort 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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