State health officials say a Greenville County skunk and bats in Beaufort, Greenwood and Pickens counties tested positive for rabies, exposing one person, two cats, two dogs and nine goats.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Public Health has confirmed rabies in a skunk from Greenville County and in bats from Beaufort, Greenwood and Pickens counties, according to the department.
The skunk was found near Cedar Falls and Sweet Water roads in Fountain Inn. Two cats, two dogs and nine goats were exposed and will be quarantined under the South Carolina Rabies Control Act, the department said.
In Beaufort County, a bat was found near Headlands Drive and Oyster Rake Lane in Hilton Head. One person was exposed and has been referred to a healthcare provider, according to the department.
A bat found near Miller and Ridge roads in Greenwood exposed one dog, which will be quarantined. In Pickens County, a bat found near Wylie Court and East Hill Drive in Easley exposed two cats that will also be quarantined, the department said.
All of the animals were submitted for testing on Aug. 21 and confirmed positive for rabies on Aug. 25, according to the department.
The department said anyone who believes they, someone they know, or a pet came into contact with the animals should call its Upstate Greenville-Spartanburg office at (864) 372-3270 or its Charleston office at (843) 953-4713 during business hours, or (888) 847-0902 after hours.
“Rabid bats have been known to transmit the rabies virus,” said Terri McCollister, the department’s Rabies Program manager. “People don’t always realize they or a pet have been bitten since bat teeth are tiny and bites are easy to overlook.”
McCollister also said not every bat carries the virus. “Although bats can carry rabies, not every bat is infected with the virus. Bats are an important part of South Carolina’s ecosystems and deserve a healthy degree of respect just like all wild animals,” she said.
The department said rabies cannot be determined by an animal’s appearance and must be confirmed in a laboratory. It said state law requires dogs, cats and ferrets to be vaccinated against rabies, and recommends vaccinating livestock when possible.
The Greenville skunk is the fifth confirmed rabies case in that county this year, the department said. The Beaufort bat is the second case there, while the Greenwood and Pickens bats bring those counties’ totals to six and three, respectively. The department said there have been 78 confirmed rabies cases statewide in 2026, compared with an average of about 136 cases a year since 2002.
Based on a release from S.C. Dept. of Public Health.
