COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) confirmed that a fox found near Old River Road and William Drive in Fork, S.C., has tested positive for rabies. Three people were potentially exposed and have been referred to their health care providers.
The fox was submitted to DHEC’s laboratory for testing on June 20, 2024, and was confirmed to have rabies on June 21, 2024. If you believe you, someone you know, or your pets have come in contact with this fox, or another animal that potentially has rabies, please call DHEC’s Public Health Florence office at (843) 915-8801 during normal business hours (8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday) or after hours and on holidays at (888) 847-0902 (Select Option 2).
“To reduce the risk of getting rabies, always give wild and stray animals plenty of space,” said Terri McCollister, Rabies Program director. “If you see an animal in need, avoid touching it and contact someone trained in handling animals, such as your local animal control officer, wildlife control operator or a wildlife rehabilitator.”
An exposure is defined as direct contact (such as through broken skin or mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, or mouth) with saliva or brain/nervous system tissue from an infected animal. If your pet is found with wounds of unknown origin, please consider that your pet may have been exposed to rabies.
It is important to keep pets up to date on their rabies vaccination, which is one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect against the disease. This fox is the first animal in Dillon County to test positive for rabies in 2024. There have been 37 cases of rabid animals statewide this year. Since 2002, South Carolina has averaged approximately 148 positive cases a year. In 2023, none of the 78 confirmed rabies cases in South Carolina were in Dillon County.
Contact information for local Public Health offices is available at scdhec.gov/RabiesContacts. For more information on rabies visit scdhec.gov/rabies or cdc.gov/rabies.
