Why are rabies cases on rise in Beaufort County?

Beaufort County is outpacing the rest of the state in the number of positive rabies cases this year.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control reported 10 cases of animals testing positive for rabies in Beaufort County as of Aug. 31. That’s the highest number of cases in the county since 2010, as far back as DHEC data is available online.

But the uptick isn’t necessarily cause for concern, said DHEC spokesman Jim Beasley.

“While there is no definitive reason that Beaufort County has had the highest number of animal rabies cases this year, it is not unusual to see this number rise and fall over time,” he said in an email.

Rabies is cyclical, he added, and the cases periodically rise and fall.

With this year’s rise, Beaufort County Animal Services receives at least call or two a day, said agency director Tallulah Trice.

It’s not just rural areas where rabid animals roam. Trice answered a call for a raccoon in downtown Beaufort that tested positive earlier this year.

And the number of rabid animals could be even greater than reported because sometimes Beaufort County Animal Services answers a call but cannot catch or locate the animal. Trice is working with DHEC on more extensive vaccination efforts, she said.

Steer clear of raccoons: They accounted for all of this year’s reported cases and 20 of the 23 rabies cases spanning 2010 through 2015.

But the worst may be over.

DHEC data from the past two years shows that cases spike from late spring and summer, Beasley said.

This year marks the five-year anniversary of the last time a South Carolinian died from rabies exposure back in 2011.

Sept. 28 is World Rabies Day, an international event to raise awareness about rabies prevention, according to a DHEC media release.

Beasley offered these suggestions to prevent rabies exposure:

▪  Use caution around wild and stray animals.

▪  Keep pets and livestock vaccinated against rabies. State law requires the vaccination for dogs, cats and ferrets.

▪  If bitten by any animal that might be rabid, thoroughly wash the wound with warm soap and water and seek medical care.

This story was originally published September 28, 2016 at 6:39 AM with the headline "Why are rabies cases on rise in Beaufort County?."