Two shark attacks reported in separate vacation hotspots as summer beach season starts
The incident reportedly occurred off the coast of the south end of Hilton Head Island on Tuesday, a Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue official confirmed to Fox News Digital.
"The incident involved a patient with a leg injury consistent with lacerations typically associated with a shark bite," the department said in a statement.
Local rescue crews were dispatched to beach marker 24 in Sea Pines Beach at approximately 12:07 p.m. regarding reports of a medical emergency.
Firefighters and lifeguards subsequently treated the victim at the scene before transporting her to Hilton Head Island Airport, where she was then airlifted to a local facility in Savannah for further medical treatment.
Local officials declined Fox News Digital's request for information regarding the victim's identity and condition, citing privacy regulations.
The attack comes just days after a 9-year-old girl was bitten by a shark on Florida's Gulf Coast, according to Fox 13.
Leah Lendel was enjoying a snorkeling trip with her family in Boca Grande on June 11 when a shark bit her hand, the outlet reported.
The injuries left her hand "hanging by a little piece of skin," a witness reportedly said.
Lendel was pulled from the water by a nearby construction crew and airlifted to Tampa General Hospital, where she underwent surgery involving artery grafts, bone reconstruction and nerve repair.
"I didn't see anything," Lendel said at a news conference Thursday. "I was just snorkeling and I went up to breathe, then something hard bit me and it tried to take me away. Then I pick up my hand and it's all in blood. Then, I started screaming with my mom. And then, my dad was with me. He picked me up, then we ran to the road.
Doctors were able to save Lendel's hand, a feat they partially credit to how "clean" the bite was.
"The shark's teeth are so sharp that the cut through the wrist is clean and not jagged, and it doesn't ruin all the tissue," Dr. Alfred Hess said.
Lendel anticipates she will return to the water once she has made a full recovery.
"She's done a fantastic job, I can already tell you," Dr. Joshua Linnell said. "I just keep looking over at those fingers because we worked hard on that."
Lendel's family did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
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Vets and Pet-Owners See Gaps in Flea and Tick Prevention, Highlighting Need for Year-Round Care, New Merck Animal Health Global Survey Finds
Data show pet owners face difficulties with consistent compliance, while veterinarians worry about inconsistent or incorrect medication administration In the U.S. Two-thirds of veterinarians note that most pet owners do not follow year-round treatment plan, despite evidence that fleas and ticks are present during all seasons RAHWAY, N.J., August 19, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside of the United States and Canada, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA (NYSE:MRK), today announced results from a new global survey revealing significant gaps in pet owner adherence to flea and tick prevention and concerns among veterinarians, underscoring the need for year-round protection. According to Pet Owner & Vet Perspectives on Parasite Treatment and Prevention: A Global Survey, the majority of pet owners (83%) consider flea and tick treatment a crucial part of their pet's care, but experience challenges remembering to adhere to a care plan. To access the full report, click here: "More than ever, these findings underline the critical need for targeted education and awareness about the importance of year-round flea and tick prevention," said Rob Armstrong, DVM, DVSc, Global Companion Animal Parasiticides Marketing, Merck Animal Health. "Pet owners are encouraged to visit their veterinarian at least once a year and use that opportunity to discuss the most effective strategies for year-round flea and tick protection." The insights from 4072 pet owners and 582 veterinarians in 15 countries revealed a disconnect between perceptions of flea and tick treatment administration between pet owners and veterinarians. While 80% of pet owners around the world surveyed feel confident in administering flea and tick medication, 74% of veterinarians worry pet owners are not consistently administering flea and tick prevention medication (administering late or missing doses) or not at all (20%). Despite confidence in administering flea and tick medication, around half of pet owners (56%) admit that administering flea/tick solutions can be difficult. In addition to the difficulties of administration, 46% of dog owners and 51% of cat owners shared they have forgotten to administer flea and tick treatment in the past year. In the United States, veterinarians report significant non-compliance among pet owners, with two-thirds of veterinarians noting that most pet owners do not follow year-round treatment and are more likely than global counterparts to feel they miss doses. Despite Nearly Half of their Pets Experiencing Flea and Tick Infestations, Pet Owners Globally Underestimate the Potential Threat Fleas and Ticks Pose to their Pets and Themselves – Worse in the United StatesAround the world, more than half (51%) of dog owners reported having a flea or tick issue at least once or twice, and 66% of outdoor cat owners reported the same. 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"Nearly 60% of humans infected with this disease require hospitalization, and without prompt treatment, it can lead to life-threatening complications, particularly for those who are immunocompromised. There are other illnesses caused by flea and tick bites that are equally alarming." With the Flea and Tick Population Growing, Care Should Be Managed Year-RoundWhile many pet owners around the world (44%) emphasize flea and tick season is in the summer months, veterinarians are four times more likely (vets: 47%; pet owners: 10%) to define flea/tick season as year-round, and for good reason. This finding is especially true of veterinarians and pet owners in the United States. Changes in the weather attribute to the expansion of fleas and ticks in more geographic regions than ever before. Ticks have been expanding their geographic ranges in recent decades largely due to warming temperatures. 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Veterinarians worked at least 10 hours a week in practice and treat both dogs and cats. Veterinarian sample size by country: Australia & New Zealand n=40, Brazil n=43, Canada n=43, China n=52, France n=41, Germany n=41, Italy n=42, Japan n=24, Mexico n=52, Peru n=40, Poland n=38, Spain n=42, United Kingdom (UK) n=42, United States (U.S.) n=42. The research was conducted online between December 23, 2024, and January 28, 2025. About Merck Animal HealthAt Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, we are unified around our purpose: We use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than a century, we've been at the forefront of research, bringing forward medicines, vaccines and innovative health solutions for the world's most challenging diseases. Merck Animal Health, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA, is the global animal health business of Merck. Through its commitment to The Science of Healthier Animals®, Merck Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, producers, pet owners and governments one of the widest ranges of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services as well as an extensive suite of connected technology that includes identification, traceability and monitoring products. Merck Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of animals and the people who care for them. It invests extensively in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. Merck Animal Health is present in more than 50 countries, while its products are available in some 150 markets. For more information, visit and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USAThis news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA (the "company") includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company's ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company's patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and the company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC's Internet site ( _____________________________________ i Krause, Paul J., et al. "Ticks Are the Major Vectors of Human Disease in the United States." PMC, National Institutes of Health, 2018, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Vector-Borne Diseases and Climate Change." 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