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Rabid bat found in Richland County, DPH says three humans exposed

SPARTANBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 6: A logo on a sign from the South Carolina Department of Public Health at a mobile clinic offering free measles vaccinations on February 6, 2026 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The clinic offered vaccinations as the South Carolina Department of Health reported 876 cases of measles earlier in the week, most centered in Spartanburg County. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
A logo on a sign from the South Carolina Department of Public Health at a mobile clinic offering free measles vaccinations on Feb. 6, 2026, in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Getty Images

South Carolina Department of Health officials confirmed a bat found near Lincoln and Aiken streets in Columbia tested positive for rabies, a Wednesday news release said.

Three people were exposed and referred to local healthcare providers, officials said. One cat was exposed and is being quarantined.

The bat, along with a rabid raccoon found in Charleston County, were submitted for testing to the Health Department on May 18. There were no known human exposures in Charleston County.

Contact information for your local Public Health offices is available at dph.sc.gov/RabiesContacts. For more information on rabies, visit dph.sc.gov/rabies or cdc.gov/rabies.

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