SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA) — Health officials say a person may have been exposed to rabies in Spartanburg earlier this month.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control said a bat was found between Converse Heights and Beaumont Village in downtown Spartanburg on Nov. 7.
The person who found the bat may have been exposed when they handled the animal with bare hands, according to DHEC.
Officials confirmed the bat had rabies on Nov. 9.
DHEC says the bat is the third animal to test positive for rabies in Spartanburg County this year. Across the state, there have been 58 confirmed cases of animal rabies to date in 2017.
“Bats are the most common source of human cases of rabies in the United States. Because bats have small teeth, their bites may go unnoticed which makes it vitally important to identify any person who has had potential contact with a bat,” DHEC says.
Click or tap here to read more information.
People concerned they may have been exposed to rabies are urged to report it to the local DHEC Bureau of Environmental Health Services (BEHS) office Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5 PM. To report a bite or exposure on holidays or outside of regular business hours, call the DHEC After-Hours Service number at (888) 847-0902.
