Rabid bat found near Townville

The Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) confirmed that a bat found near Townville on Smith Farm Road and Crick Hill Road has tested positive for rabies. One pet was potentially exposed and will be quarantined as required in the South Carolina Rabies Control Act.

The bat was submitted to DHEC’s laboratory for testing Monday and was confirmed to have rabies the next day.

If you know of any possible human or animal exposures, be sure to immediately wash any part of your body that may have come into contact with saliva or neural tissue with plenty of soap and water and seek medical attention. Exposure is defined as a bite, scratch, or direct contact with saliva or body fluids from an infected animal.

“Rabid bats have been known to transmit the rabies virus to humans and pets,” said David Vaughan, Director of DHEC’s Onsite Wastewater, Rabies Prevention, and Enforcement Division. “People don’t always realize they’ve been bitten since bat teeth are tiny and bites are easy to overlook. Because of this, you should always assume a person has potentially been bitten when:

They wake up to find a bat in a room or tent;
A bat is found where children, pets, or persons with impaired mental capacity (intoxicated or mentally disabled) have been left unattended; or
A person or pet has been in direct contact with a bat.”
Any bat that could have had potential contact with people, pets, or livestock should be safely trapped in a sealed container and not touched. Never release a bat that has potentially exposed a person or pet. Once a bat is released, it cannot be tested for rabies. Similarly, never handle a bat or any wild or stray animal, alive or dead, with your bare hands.