DHEC: 2 York County people exposed to rabies from horse

Two people in York County were exposed to rabies last week from a horse that was thought to be lame but turned out to be rabid, health officials said.

The people were providing care to the horse Thursday when the horse started to exhibit aggressive behavior. The horse was killed and tested and Monday found to have had rabies. Both people were told to seek medical treatment for possible rabies exposure, state health officials said in a release Wednesday.

Horses are not required to have rabies shots. However, state officials encourage rabies vaccinations for any animals that have frequent contact with people. State officials urge people to notice sudden changes in domestic animal behavior and avoid contact with wild animals.

The horse is the first York County animal to test positive for rabies in 2016 and the second animal statewide. Nine animals tested positive in York County in 2015 out of 130 confirmed rabies cases in the state.

This story was originally published January 13, 2016 at 2:23 PM with the headline "DHEC: 2 York County people exposed to rabies from horse."