Seven people exposed to rabid animal found in Lexington County, SC officials say

Seven people were recently exposed to a rabid raccoon found in Lexington County, the South Carolina Department of Public Health said Monday.

The raccoon was sent to DPH’s lab for testing July 2, and was confirmed to have rabies the following day, officials said in a news release.

The animal was discovered near Stonewood Drive and Wilton Road in West Columbia, according to the release. That’s close to Exit 111 on Interstate 26, which is the junction with U.S. 1/Augusta Road.

The people were told to seek medical care, health officials said. Further information on their conditions was not available.

If untreated, rabies can cause fever, agitation and death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Rabies is usually transmitted through a bite or scratch which allows saliva from an infected animal to be introduced into the body of a person or another animal,” DPH’s Rabies Program Team Leader Terri McCollister said in the release. “However, infected saliva or neural tissue contact with open wounds or areas such as the eyes, nose or mouth could also potentially transmit rabies.”

To reduce the risk of getting rabies, always give wild and stray animals their space, according to the release.

“Raccoons are the most common animal to test positive for rabies in South Carolina and play a significant role in the transmission of rabies in the state,” officials said in the release. “There is no established time frame for monitoring raccoons to rule out the possibility of rabies. DPH does not recommend keeping raccoons or other wild animals as pets due to the risks of rabies exposures.”

DPH says if you believe that you, someone you know, or your pets have come in contact with the rabid animal, or another animal that potentially has rabies, call the agency’s Public Health Columbia office at 803-896-0620 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,” officials said.

Additionally, if you think you’ve been exposed to a rabid animal, immediately wash the affected area with plenty of soap and water, officials previously said.

In the past, officials defined an exposure as direct contact — possibly through broken skin or mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, or mouth — from a bite, scratch, or contact with saliva, body fluids, or brain/nervous system tissue from an infected or possibly infected animal.

Since 2002, South Carolina has averaged approximately 148 positive cases a year, DPH said.

There have been 40 cases of rabid animals statewide this year, compared to 78 confirmed rabies cases in South Carolina in 2023, according to the release.

This is the first animal in Lexington County to test positive for rabies in 2024, while eight rabid animals were confirmed in the county by DPH last year.

Another rabid raccoon was also recently discovered in the Midlands, this one in neighboring Calhoun County, according to the release.

That raccoon was found near Springwater and Viceroy lanes in Swansea, DPH reported. That’s about 18 miles from where the rabid raccoon in Lexington County was discovered.

No people are known to have been exposed to the raccoon in Calhoun County, but two dogs were and will be quarantined as required in the South Carolina Rabies Control Act, according to the release.

This was the first animal in Calhoun County to test positive for rabies this year, DPH said.

This story was originally published July 8, 2024 at 1:58 PM with the headline "Seven people exposed to rabid animal found in Lexington County, SC officials say."

Noah Feit

The State

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Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999. Support my work with a digital subscription