🔴 Website 👉 https://u-s-news.com/
Telegram 👉 https://t.me/usnewscom_channel
Health officials in California said a South Lake Tahoe resident tested positive for the plague.
“El Dorado County health officials have been notified by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) that a South Lake Tahoe resident has tested positive for plague,” El Dorado County announced.
“The individual is currently under the care of a medical professional and is recovering at home. It’s believed that the person may have been bitten by an infected flea while camping in South Lake Tahoe area. Health officials are investigating the situation,” it added.
“Plague is naturally present in many parts of California, including higher elevation areas of El Dorado County, said Kyle Fliflet, El Dorado County’s Acting Director of Public Health.
“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,” he added.
California resident tests positive for the plague after camping trip https://t.co/LH0WVGeLpS pic.twitter.com/mMFcBuuwCq
— New York Post (@nypost) August 21, 2025
Fox News has more:
Plague bacteria are most commonly spread by fleas that have fed on infected squirrels, chipmunks or other wild rodents.
From 2021 through 2024, El Dorado County identified 41 rodents showing evidence of plague exposure. In 2025 so far, four more plague-positive rodents have been found in the Tahoe Basin.
Human plague infections are rare in the U.S., averaging about seven cases per year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Most occur in the western states, particularly northern New Mexico and Arizona.
Symptoms often begin with the bubonic form of the plague, which can cause health issues including fever, headache, chills, weakness and swollen lymph nodes. Without treatment, it can progress to septicemic plague, which can cause stomach pain and bleeding into the skin.
Last month, health officials said a resident of northern Arizona died from pneumonic plague.
The unidentified patient was from Coconino County, which includes Flagstaff.
The patient arrived at the Flagstaff Medical Center Emergency Department and passed away the same day.
Local officials said it’s the first recorded death from pneumonic plague since 2007.
The Guardian noted:
Dogs and cats can also carry infected fleas into the home, officials said.
In the statement, local officials advised the public to avoid contact with wild rodents and to prevent pets from going near rodent burrows.
The news release said that while human cases of plague are “extremely rare”, they can be very serious. Symptoms typically appear within two weeks of exposure and include fever, nausea, weakness and swollen lymph nodes, the release noted. If detected early, plague can be effectively treated with antibiotics.
NBC News provided additional coverage: