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York County cat potentially exposes 10 people to rabies

By John Paul, wsoctv.com
By John Paul, wsoctv.com

YORK COUNTY, N.C. — Ten people were referred to their health care providers after being potentially exposed to rabies by a cat that tested positive for the disease, Department of Health and Environmental Control officials said in a statement released Friday.

The exposure happened during the routine care of a pet cat.

[Rabid fox bites 13-year-old on leg]

The cat was submitted to DHEC's laboratory for testing Tuesday and was confirmed to have rabies the following day.

The cat was brought to the Banfield Pet Hospital in Rock Hill because the owner said it looked sick.

“They just didn't know,” said Eric Setzer, the veterinarian at Lesslie Animal Hospital. “By the time they figured it out, everybody had been exposed to it.”

Setzer works near Banfield Pet Hospital.

“I've already told all my staff there was a rabid animal in clinics, locally, here, to be careful and be on the lookout,” Setzer said.

The cat is the fifth animal to test positive for rabies in York County this year.

On average, the state will have 110 cases in mostly wild and stray animals every year.

Setzer reminds owners should bring their pets to the vet once a year.

“You just don't know what they're going to be exposed to out in the wild or even in the backyard,” Setzer said.

Officials recommend if you see a stray cat or one that looks sick, don't touch it and call animal control.

"Rabies is usually transmitted through a bite, which allows saliva from an infected animal to be introduced into the body of a person or another animal,” said David Vaughan, director of DHEC's Onsite Wastewater, Rabies Prevention and Enforcement Division. “However, saliva or neural tissue contact with open wounds or areas such as the eyes, nose or mouth could also potentially transmit rabies."

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