FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 21, 2007

Spartanburg County residents urged to avoid wild animals

COLUMBIA - A Spartanburg County man is under a doctor's care and receiving inoculations to prevent rabies after being bitten by a raccoon that has tested positive for the disease, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control reported today.

"The man was bitten by a raccoon that was found in a yard in Chesnee," said Sue Ferguson of DHEC’s Bureau of Environmental Health.

"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," Ferguson said. "State law requires that all pets be vaccinated against rabies, and we strongly encourage residents to avoid contact with stray animals and make sure their own pets have been vaccinated to protect both the pets and their owners.

"Be wary of tame animals 'acting wild' and wild animals 'acting tame' and if you are bitten or scratched by a wild animal or domestic pet, immediately wash the wound with plenty of soap and water," she said. "DHEC advises the public to be sure to 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."

Ferguson said that about 400 South Carolinians have to undergo preventive treatment for rabies every year after being bitten by a rabid or suspected rabid animal.

This is the 15th confirmed rabid animal in Spartanburg County in 2007. In 2006, six animals were confirmed with rabies in the county and there were 180 confirmed cases of rabies in animals in South Carolina. So far this year, there have been 149 confirmed cases in animals in the state.

For more information about rabies, see DHEC's Web page at: http://www.scdhec.gov/rabies, or contact DHEC's Spartanburg County Environmental Health Office at (864) 596-2227. 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:
Adam Myrick - (803) 898-3884
E-mail - myrickar@dhec.sc.gov
MNR0167