Three people exposed to rabid bat in Columbia, health officials say

Three people were recently exposed to a rabid bat found in Richland County, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control said.

The bat was sent to DHEC’s lab for testing on Sunday, and was confirmed to have rabies the following day, officials said in a news release.

The animal was discovered near Kershaw Street and Butler Street, according to the release. That’s in the Melrose Heights area of Columbia, about half a mile from the juncture of Gervais Street and Trenholm Road.

The people were told to seek medical care, health officials said. Further information on their conditions was not available.

If untreated, rabies can cause fever, agitation and death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Never handle a bat or any wild or stray animal, alive or dead, with your bare hands, DHEC said.

“Rabid bats have been known to transmit the rabies virus,” DHEC’s Rabies Program Team Leader Terri McCollister said in the release. “People don’t always realize they or a pet have been bitten since bat teeth are tiny and bites are easy to overlook.”

Any bat that could have been in contact with people, pets, or livestock should be safely trapped in a sealed container without being touched, health officials said. It should never be released, because then it can’t be tested for rabies, according to DHEC.

Health officials said it should be assumed that a bat has bitten anyone who wakes up to find a bat in a room or tent; finds a bat where children, pets, or persons with impaired mental capacity (intoxicated or mentally disabled) have been left unattended; or anyone who has been in direct contact with a bat.

DHEC says if you believe that you, someone you know, or your pets have come in contact with the rabid bat, or another animal that potentially has rabies, call the agency’s Environmental Affairs Columbia Office at 803-896-0620 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).

Additionally, if you think you’ve been exposed to a rabid animal, immediately wash the affected area with plenty of soap and water, officials said.

Health officials said an exposure is direct contact — possibly through broken skin or mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, or mouth — from a bite, scratch, or contact with saliva, body fluids, or brain/nervous system tissue from an infected or possibly infected animal.

In South Carolina, rabies is most often found in wildlife such as raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats, according to the release.

“Although bats can carry rabies, not every bat is infected with the virus. Bats are an important part of South Carolina’s ecosystems and deserve a healthy degree of respect just like all wild animals,” McCollister said.

Since 2002, South Carolina has averaged approximately 148 positive cases a year, DHEC said.

There have been 15 cases of rabid animals statewide this year, compared to 83 confirmed rabies cases in South Carolina in 2021, according to the release.

This is the first animal in Richland County to test positive for rabies in 2023, while five rabid animals were confirmed in the county by DHEC last year.

This story was originally published March 22, 2023 at 12:38 PM.

Noah Feit

The State

803-771-8435

Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999. Support my work with a digital subscription