South Dakota’s Update: Provided by SD Dept. of Health
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory following recent increases in human exposures to rabid or potentially rabid animals, along with reported errors in administering rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).
Since July 2026, several U.S. jurisdictions have reported increases in rabies exposures. The CDC is reminding healthcare providers to conduct appropriate risk assessments before administering PEP and to follow current recommendations for rabies vaccine and human rabies immune globulin (HRIG).
South Dakota Update
The South Dakota Department of Health (SD DOH) provides rabies consultation to medical providers 24/7 at 800-592-1861. SD DOH also offers guidance covering exposure risk, appropriate PEP and PEP non-adherence.
During 2026, 13 rabid animals have been detected in South Dakota — 12 bats and one skunk. That total currently exceeds detections in both 2025 (11) and 2024 (12).
Resources:
- CDC HAN 533 – Full Health Advisory
- SD DOH Human Rabies Prevention Guidelines
- SD DOH Rabies Dashboard
