FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Jan. 7, 2024

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) confirmed that a raccoon found near New Hope Road and Nursery Lane in Anderson, 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 on Jan. 3, 2025, and was confirmed to have rabies on Jan. 6, 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 Anderson office at (864) 372-3270 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 director.

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 first animal in Anderson County - and in the state - to test positive for rabies in 2025. Since 2002, South Carolina has averaged approximately 144 positive cases a year. In 2024, three of the 81 confirmed rabies cases in South Carolina were in Anderson 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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