Rabid Wildlife Confirmed in Charleston and Calhoun Counties; Five Pets Exposed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Oct. 25, 2024

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

• The raccoon that tested positive was found near Ponce De Leon Avenue and Wespanee Drive in Charleston, S.C. No people are known to have been exposed at this time. One dog and one cat were exposed and will be quarantined as required in the South Carolina Rabies Control Act.
• The rabid bat was found near Buck and Antelope lanes in St. Matthews, S.C. No people are known to have been exposed at this time. Three dogs were exposed and will be quarantined as required in the state Rabies Control Act.

The Charleston County raccoon and the Calhoun County bat were both submitted to DPH’s laboratory on Oct. 22, 2024, and were confirmed to have rabies on Oct. 23, 2024. 

If you believe you, someone you know or your pets have come in contact with this raccoon or bat, or another animal that potentially has rabies, please call DPH's Charleston office at (843) 953-4713​, or the Orangeburg office at (803) 533-5480​ 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).

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 director. “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.

“Not every bat is infected with the virus,” McCollister said. “Bats are an important part of South Carolina's ecosystems and deserve a healthy degree of respect just like all wild animals.”

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 they have 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.

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. 

In 2024, the Charleston County raccoon is the fifth animal to test positive for rabies in that county, and the Calhoun County bat is the second animal in that county to test positive for rabies. There have been 67 cases of rabid animals statewide this year. Since 2002, South Carolina has averaged approximately 148 positive cases a year. Of the 78 confirmed rabies cases in South Carolina in 2023, six were in Charleston County, and two were in Calhoun County. 

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

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