COLUMBIA, S.C. - Six people are under the care of a physician after an incident in Williamston involving a dog that has tested positive for rabies, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control said today.
“The dog was a pet but it was not vaccinated against rabies,” said Sue Ferguson of DHEC's Bureau of Environmental Health. “The dog attacked two people at a residence, and four other people have been potentially exposed to the dog in recent days.”
Ferguson said once the rabies virus reaches the brain, the disease is fatal to humans and animals, so the individuals are receiving preventive inoculations.
According to Ferguson, anyone bitten, scratched or otherwise exposed to the saliva of a rabid animal must undergo immediate measures to stop the virus from reaching the brain.
“Avoid wild animals acting tame and tame animals acting wild,” Ferguson said. “About 400 South Carolinians must undergo preventive treatment for rabies every year, with most exposures from being bitten or scratched by a rabid or suspected rabid animal. Wild animals carry the disease most often, but domestic pets can contract rabies as well.
“Therefore, to protect both the pets and their owners, we strongly encourage residents to make sure their pets are regularly vaccinated against the disease. State law requires that all pets be vaccinated against rabies.
“If you think you have been exposed to the rabies virus through a bite, scratch or the saliva of a possibly infected animal, immediately wash the affected area with plenty of soap and water,” she said. “Then be sure to get medical attention and report the incident to DHEC.”
This is the fifth confirmed rabid dog in the state this year and the eighth confirmed rabid animal in Anderson County in 2009. Last year, there were 14 rabid animals confirmed in the county. In 2008, there were 166 confirmed cases of rabies in animals in South Carolina. So far this year, there have been 143 confirmed cases in animals in the state.
For more information about rabies, see DHEC's Web page at: http://www.scdhec.gov/rabies.
The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web page about rabies can be found at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies.
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