1 person exposed to rabies after contact with stray cat in Horry County, SC officials say
One person was exposed to rabies after a stray cat in Horry County tested positive for the disease, health officials said Wednesday.
The cat was seen near Fox Bay Road and Tiger Paw Road in Loris, according to a release from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.
The exposed person is working with their healthcare provider, according to DHEC. Four pet cats were also potentially exposed to the rabid cat. They will be placed in quarantine in accordance with the South Carolina Rabies Control Act, DHEC said.
The cat was tested in DHEC’s laboratory Nov. 6 and the rabies was confirmed Monday, making it the second animal to test positive for the disease in 2020. Across the state, 152 cases of rabies have been confirmed in animals this year, DHEC reported. Last year, nine of South Carolina’s 148 confirmed rabies cases were in Horry County.
It is unclear how the person came in contact with the cat and where the animal currently is.
David Vaughan, DHEC’s Onside Wastewater, Rabies Prevention and Enforcement Division director, gave some tips for avoiding rabies.
“To reduce the risk of getting rabies, always give wild and stray animals plenty of space,” he said in the release. “If you see an animal in need, avoid toughing it. Contact someone trained in handling animals, such as your local animal control officer or wildlife rehabilitator.”
A bite, scratch or contact with saliva or other bodily fluids from an infected or potentially infected animal are all considered exposure, Vaughan said.
If you or your pet is exposed to rabies, contact DHEC’s Environmental Affairs office in Myrtle Beach at (843) 238-4378 or in Conway at (843) 915-8801. If calling outside normal business hours, call DHEC’s after-hours number at (888) 847-0902.
This story was originally published November 11, 2020 at 12:34 PM with the headline "1 person exposed to rabies after contact with stray cat in Horry County, SC officials say."
