FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 14, 2007
Charleston County residents alerted about danger of rabies in foxes
COLUMBIA – A Charleston County man is receiving inoculations to prevent rabies after being attacked Saturday by a potentially rabid fox in the Snee Farms area of Mt. Pleasant, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control announced today.
“The man was bitten by a very aggressive fox,” said John Simkovich, public health director for DHEC’s Region 7 which serves Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties. “The fox has not been caught so we want residents of the Mount Pleasant area, Snee Farms in particular, to be especially wary of tame animals acting wild and wild animals acting tame.”
Simkovich said because rabies is fatal to humans and animals, anyone bitten, scratched or otherwise exposed to the saliva of a rabid animal must undergo immediate preventive measures to stop the virus from reaching the brain.
“If you are bitten or scratched by a wild animal or domestic pet, immediately wash the wound with plenty of soap and water,” he said. “Get immediate medical attention for any possible exposure to the saliva of a rabid animal and to be sure to report the incident to DHEC.”
For more information about rabies, see DHEC's Web page at 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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For more information:
Linda Pranger – (843) 746-3846
Cell – (843) 729-7325
E-mail – prangell@dhec.sc.gov
Thom Berry -- (803) 898-3885
Cell – (803) 518-6088
E-mail – berrytw@dhec.sc.gov
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