Rabid Bat Confirmed in Aiken County, SC

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Published March 18th, 2026

Detected March 19th, 2026

Summary

The South Carolina Department of Public Health confirmed a rabid bat in Aiken County, with one dog exposed and quarantined. This is the second animal in Aiken County and the 18th statewide this year to test positive for rabies.

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What changed

The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) has confirmed a bat found in Aiken County tested positive for rabies. One dog was exposed and will be quarantined according to the South Carolina Rabies Control Act. This marks the second animal in Aiken County and the 18th statewide in 2026 to be confirmed with rabies.

Residents are advised to never handle wild animals with bare hands and to contact DPH if they suspect exposure to rabies. Pets should be kept up-to-date on their rabies vaccinations. The notice provides contact information for DPH and links to resources on rabies prevention and local vaccination clinics.

What to do next

Review pet vaccination status for rabies
Contact DPH if exposure to a wild or stray animal is suspected
Follow DPH guidance on safely handling potentially rabid animals

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Rabid Bat Confirmed in Aiken County; One Pet Exposed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 18, 2026

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) confirmed that a bat found near Hiwassee Run and Three Runs Plantation Drive in Aiken, S.C., has tested positive for rabies. No people are known to have been exposed at this time. One dog was exposed and will be quarantined as required in the South Carolina Rabies Control Act.

The bat was submitted to DPH's laboratory for testing March 16, 2026, and was confirmed to have rabies March 17, 2026. If you believe you, someone you know, or your pets have come in contact with this bat or another animal that potentially has rabies, please call DPH's Columbia office at (803) 896-4680 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).

Never handle a bat or any wild or stray animal, alive or dead, with your bare hands. Any bat that could have had potential contact with people, pets, or livestock should be safely trapped in a sealed container and not touched. Never release a bat that has potentially exposed a person or pet. Once a bat is released, it cannot be tested for rabies.

“Rabid bats have been known to transmit the rabies virus,” said Terri McCollister, Rabies Program manager. “People don’t always realize they or a pet have been bitten since bat teeth are tiny and bites are easy to overlook.” Because of this, you should always assume a person or pet has potentially been bitten when:

They wake up to find a bat in a room or tent;
A bat is found where children, pets, or persons with impaired mental capacity (intoxicated or mentally disabled) have been left unattended; or
They have been in direct contact with a bat. “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. You cannot tell if a bat, or any other animal, has rabies by simply looking at it. Rabies must be confirmed in a laboratory. Unusual behavior in bats that might indicate the animal has rabies includes daytime activity, inability to fly, and being found in places they are not usually seen, like in your home or on your lawn. An 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. Be sure to immediately wash any part of your body that may have come in contact with saliva or neural tissue with plenty of soap and water and seek medical attention.

It is important to keep pets up to date on their rabies vaccination, as this is one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect against the disease. This bat is the second animal in Aiken County to test positive for rabies in 2026. There have been 18 cases of rabid animals statewide this year. Since 2002, South Carolina has averaged approximately 136 positive cases a year. In 2025, three of the 101 confirmed rabies cases in South Carolina were in Aiken 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. For information on low cost rabies vaccine clinics near you, visit dph.sc.gov/rabies.