The state Department of Public Health confirmed that a bat found near Oak Branch Drive and Open Range Lane in Simpsonville has tested positive for rabies, the department announced Aug. 12.
One person was exposed and has been referred to their health care provider. Two cats were also exposed and will be quarantined as required by state law.
Rabies is a zoonotic disease — meaning it passes from animals to humans — that produces about 150 cases in South Carolina annually, with about 30% of those cases involving exposure to people.
In the most recent Greenville County case, the bat was submitted to DPH’s laboratory for testing Aug. 8 and was confirmed to have rabies Aug. 11.
Anyone suspecting they may have come into contact with this bat is urged to contact DPH’s Upstate Greenville-Spartanburg office at 864-372-3270 on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., or after hours at 888-847-0902 (select option 2).
According to DPH, no one should handle a bat or any wild or stray animal, alive or dead, with bare hands.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 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, DPS rabies program manager, in a release about the Greenville County case. “People don’t always realize they or a pet have been bitten since bat teeth are tiny and bites are easy to overlook.”
McCollister added people should always assume a person or pet has potentially been bitten if:
- 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 have been left unattended.
- 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.
This bat is the fourth animal in Greenville County to test positive for rabies in 2025. There have been 50 cases statewide so far this year.
