FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 3, 2023

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) confirmed that a raccoon found near Country Club Drive and Mulberry Lane in Lancaster, 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 DHEC's laboratory for testing on March 29, 2023, and was confirmed to have rabies on March 30, 2023.

Please report all animal bites, scratches, and exposures to potentially rabid animals to DHEC. “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 Team Leader. “Contact your local Environmental Affairs office for further guidance.” 

If you believe that you, someone you know, or your pets have come in contact with this dog or another animal that potentially has rabies, please call DHEC's Public Health Rock Hill office at (803) 909-7096 during normal business hours (8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday) or after hours and on holidays at (888) 847-0902 (Select Option 2).

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 Lancaster County to test positive for rabies in 2023. There have been 17 cases of rabid animals statewide this year. Since 2002, South Carolina has averaged approximately 148 positive cases a year. In 2022, none of the 83 confirmed rabies cases in South Carolina were in Lancaster County.

Contact information for local Public Health offices is available at scdhec.gov/EAoffices. For more information on rabies, visit scdhec.gov/rabies or cdc.gov/rabies.

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