COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) has confirmed that two cats from Florence County have tested positive for rabies.
An orange 6- to 8-week-old kitten with unknown-origin wounds was found near Hoffmeyer Road and S. Cashua Drive in Florence, S.C., and has tested positive for rabies. Currently, eighteen people have been exposed and have been referred to their healthcare providers. An investigation is ongoing.
Another case involves a 2- to 3-year-old neutered male cat, black and white in color, found near Pamplico Highway and Freedom Boulevard in Florence, S.C. This cat also tested positive for rabies, and one person was exposed and referred to their healthcare provider.
Both the kitten and the cat were submitted to DHEC’s laboratory on June 3, 2024, and were confirmed to have rabies the same day. If you or someone you know, or your pets, have come into contact with these animals or other potentially rabid animals, contact DHEC’s Public Health Conway office at (843) 915-8801 during 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 wildlife rehabilitator. Rabies virus can be present in the saliva of infected dogs, cats, and ferrets during illness and even several days before clinical signs develop.”
Stray and feral cats serve as a significant source of rabies exposure. 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 pets in the area have received any unexplained injuries or have been seen interacting with stray or feral cats recently, please contact your veterinarian’s office.
In 2024, these cases mark the second and third animals to test positive for rabies in Florence County. Statewide, there have been 31 cases of rabid animals this year. Since 2002, South Carolina has averaged approximately 148 positive cases annually. Of the 78 confirmed rabies cases in South Carolina in 2023, four were in Florence County.
