Rabid Skunk Confirmed in Pickens County; Three Pets Exposed

The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) confirmed that a skunk found near Sunshine Way and Diedra Drive in Easley, S.C., has tested positive for rabies. No people are known to have been exposed at this time. Three dogs were exposed and will be quarantined as required in the South Carolina Rabies Control Act. The skunk was submitted to DPH’s laboratory for testing on Nov. 19, 2024, and was confirmed to have rabies on Nov. 20. This skunk is the fifth animal in Pickens County to test positive for rabies in 2024. There have been 74 cases of rabid animals statewide this year. In 2023, six of the 78 confirmed rabies cases in South Carolina were in Pickens County.