2 exposed to rabies after raccoon bite in Indian Land near Fort Mill

Two people in Lancaster County near Fort Mill have been referred to medical providers after both were bitten by a raccoon with rabies, South Carolina health officials said.

The people were in the Indian Land area of Lancaster County on Oct. 10 when each was scratched and bitten by the raccoon, S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control officials said. The raccoon was caught, and testing showed it had rabies.

”Rabies is usually transmitted through a bite, which allows saliva from an infected animal to be introduced into the body of a person or another animal,” said David Vaughan, director of DHEC’s Onsite Wastewater, Rabies Prevention and Enforcement Division. “However, saliva or neural tissue contact with open wounds or areas such as the eyes, nose or mouth could also potentially transmit rabies.”

In August near Fort Mill, 10 people were sent for medical treatment after exposure to a cat with rabies.

A pet dog that fought with a raccoon in Lancaster in June exposed one person to the virus.

The raccoon that attacked the two people Oct. 10 is the third animal in Lancaster County to test positive for rabies in 2018 after two cases of rabies were found in 2017, statistics show.

Statewide in South Carolina in 2018, there have been 80 cases of animal rabies statewide this year after 63 cases were found in 2017.