California resident tests positive for plague after camping in South Lake Tahoe

A California resident has tested positive for plague after likely being bitten by an infected flea, health officials said on Tuesday, Aug. 19.

The person was camping in the South Lake Tahoe area, located in the Sierra Nevada mountains in eastern California, the El Dorado County Public Health Division (EDCPHD) said in a statement. This is the first such infection reported in the county since 2020, when a case of human plague was also traced back to the South Lake Tahoe area, the public health division added.

The resident is recovering at home under the supervision of a medical professional.

Plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and is most often transmitted to humans and other mammals via flea bites or handling infected animals. Rodent fleas spread the bacteria to people, dogs and cats after becoming infected by squirrels, chipmunks and other wild rodents.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/california-resident-tests-positive-plague-213048424.html