A raccoon found near Wespanee Drive and Ponce de Leon Avenue in Charleston was confirmed rabid, marking the county’s 13th case this year, according to the S.C. Department of Public Health.
CHARLESTON, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Public Health confirmed that a raccoon found near Wespanee Drive and Ponce de Leon Avenue in Charleston has tested positive for rabies.
One person was exposed to the animal and has been referred to a healthcare provider, according to the department.
The raccoon was submitted to DPH’s laboratory for testing on Nov. 3 and was confirmed rabid on Nov. 4, the department said.
Anyone who believes they, someone they know, or a pet may have come into contact with the raccoon or another potentially rabid animal is asked to call DPH’s Charleston office at (843) 953-4713 during business hours, or (888) 847-0902, option 2, after hours and on holidays.
“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, DPH’s 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.”
The department said rabies in South Carolina is most commonly found in wildlife such as raccoons, skunks, foxes and bats, though pets are equally susceptible. People who encounter an animal in distress should avoid touching it and instead contact a trained handler, such as an animal control officer, wildlife control officer or wildlife rehabilitator, the department said.
DPH defines an exposure as direct contact through broken skin or mucous membranes in the eyes, nose or mouth with saliva or nervous system tissue from an infected animal.
This raccoon marks the 13th confirmed rabies case in Charleston County this year, the department said. Statewide, 99 animals have tested positive for rabies in 2026. South Carolina has averaged about 136 positive cases annually since 2002, and in 2025 Charleston County accounted for eight of the state’s 101 confirmed cases, according to DPH.
Contact information for local public health offices is available at dph.sc.gov/RabiesContacts.
Based on a release from S.C. Dept. of Public Health.
