Oconee cat potentially exposes one person to rabies

One person has been potentially exposed to rabies by a pet cat in Oconee County.  The exposure occurred January 15 when a domestic cat scratched an individual.  A DHEC lab confirmed the rabies two days later.  The cat was a short hair grey, white, and black.  If you’ve had any contact with it, you should immediately wash affected areas with lots of water and soap and notify the Department of Health and Environmental Control.  The state health agency reminds all pet owners of the importance of keeping pets up to date on their rabies vaccinations.  The vaccination is one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect against the disease.  This pet cat is the first animal in Oconee to test positive so far in 2020.  Last year, ten of the 148 confirmed rabies cases in South Carolina were in Oconee County.