Half a dozen people were exposed to calf that tested positive for rabies, SC officials say

Six people were recently exposed to a rabid calf found in the Midlands, the South Carolina Department of Public Health said Wednesday.

After being discovered in the Prosperity area of Saluda County , the ailing cow was sent to DPH’s lab for testing Sept. 19, and was confirmed to have rabies the following day, officials said in a news release.

The people who came in contact with the calf 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.

“It is very important for you to seek medical attention if you have been exposed to a wild, stray, or domestic animal,” DPH’s Rabies Program Team Leader Terri McCollister previously said. “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.”

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 Aiken office at 803-642-1687 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 said.

Livestock are susceptible to rabies, while cattle and horses are the most frequently reported infected livestock species, according to the release.

“Keeping your pets and livestock current on their rabies vaccination is a responsibility that comes with owning an animal. It is one of the easiest and most effective ways you can protect yourself, your family, your pets and your livestock from this fatal disease,” McCollister said in the release.

In addition to the calf, a skunk found in Oconee County also tested positive for rabies on Sept. 20, officials said. No people were exposed to the skunk, but one dog came in contact with it and has been quarantined, as required in the South Carolina Rabies Control Act .

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

There have been 62 cases of rabid animals statewide this year, compared to 78 confirmed rabies cases in South Carolina in 2023, according to the release.