Rabid bobcat is latest diseased animal found in Lexington County, officials say
A bobcat found in Lexington was confirmed to have rabies, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control said Monday.
No people are known to have been exposed to the rabid animal, but at least four dogs came in contact with the bobcat, DHEC officials said in a news release.
The bobcat was found in a neighborhood near Crimson Oak Drive and Blue Lake Drive, according to the release. That’s in between U.S. 1 (Augusta highway) and U.S. 378. It was taken to DHEC’s lab on June 25, and tested positive for rabies the following day, according to the release.
This bobcat is the seventh animal in Lexington County to test positive for rabies in 2020, DHEC said. There have been 64 cases of rabid animals reported in South Carolina this year.
In 2019, 17 of the 148 confirmed rabies cases in South Carolina were in Lexington County, according to the release.
Bobcats live across South Carolina, but the animal is most commonly found in the state’s Coastal Plain, the Department of Natural Resources said.
Bobcats are shy and will usually avoid people, but “the few instances when bobcats have attacked people, they were infected with rabies,” according to Pee Dee Wildlife Control Inc.
“To reduce the risk of getting rabies, always give wild and stray animals plenty of space,” DHEC’s Director of Onsite Wastewater, Rabies Prevention, and Enforcement Division David Vaughan said in the release. “If you see an animal in need, avoid touching it. Contact someone trained in handling animals, such as your local animal control officer or wildlife rehabilitator. The possibility of exposure to rabies can occur anywhere, anytime. If you believe that you or someone you know has had contact with or been potentially exposed to this or another suspect animal, please reach out to your local Environmental Affairs office. An exposure is defined as a bite, a scratch, or contact with saliva or body fluids from an infected, or possibly infected, animal.”
DHEC officials said if a pet is found with unknown wounds it could have been exposed to rabies, and the owner should call 803-896-0620 during normal business hours, or 888-847-0902 at other times.
Getting pets vaccinated for rabies is the best way to protect against the disease, DHEC said.
