California resident catches the plague after being bitten in popular vacation spot
A California resident has caught the plague after being bitten in a popular vacation spot.
The person was at a campsite in Lake Tahoe when they suffered a bug bite from an infected flea.
As a result, they tested positive for the plague, according to officials.
California health officials have confirmed that the person is under the care of a medical professional and is now recovering at home.
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While the bubonic plague was the largest pandemic in history and killed between 75 million and 200 million people worldwide during the 1300s, it is very much still around today.
And it might be even more shocking to discover that the Black Death exists within rural parts of the US.
According to experts, the best way to avoid getting the plague is to steer clear of fleas on rodents such as rats, mice and squirrels.
The case in California is the first confirmed recording of someone catching the plague since 2020, and prior to that, it had not been detected in the state since 2015.
In a statement, Kyle Fliflet, who is the El Dorado County acting director of public health, said: “Plague is naturally present in many parts of California, including higher-elevation areas of El Dorado County.
“It’s important that individuals take precautions for themselves and their pets when outdoors, especially while walking, hiking and/or camping in areas where wild rodents are present.”
Symptoms of the plague can manifest from one to eight days of the infection and include things like chills, fatigue and a fever.
If left untreated, the disease can enter the bloodstream and travel to the lungs, which is when it becomes deadly.
The California Department of Health revealed that there were 45 ground squirrels or chipmunks recorded between 2021 and 2025 who had evidence of being exposed to the plague bacterium in the Lake Tahoe Basin.
El Dorado County health officials are urging locals to take extra caution when in high risk areas.
You can protect yourself by wearing long pants that tucked into boots in order to limit skin exposure as well as spraying bug repellent beforehand.
The most recent confirmed death from the plague happened just last month in Arizona.
The patient died from the pneumonic plague, which is a severe form of the disease.
This strain of the Black Death spreads by inhaling droplets of saliva emitted from an infected person or animal coughing or sneezing.