PIEDMONT, S.C. — One person was referred for medical care after contact with a bat that later tested positive for rabies in the Greenville County part of Piedmont, the South Carolina Department of Public Health said.
The bat turned up close to where Bessie Road crosses North Flat Rock Road. It went to the state lab on Oct. 23, and testing confirmed rabies on Oct. 26.
It is the sixth animal in Greenville County to test positive for the virus so far in 2026. Statewide, 97 rabid animals have been counted this year.
A second bat, found in Rock Hill, also carried rabies and exposed a pet there.
Health officials say bat bites are easy to miss because the teeth are so small. Anyone who wakes to find a bat in the room, or finds one near a child or pet, should assume a bite may have happened. A bat that may have exposed someone should be sealed in a container and not let go, since a released bat cannot be tested.
Keeping pets current on rabies shots is the best protection, officials said. Exposure concerns can be reported to the department rabies line at 888-847-0902.
Filed under: Greenville SC Health News
