Health officials in California have confirmed that a South Lake Tahoe resident has tested positive for the plague, marking the first human case in the area since 2020. The El Dorado County Public Health Division said the patient likely contracted the disease after being bitten by an infected flea while camping in the region. The individual is recovering at home and is being monitored by medical staff.
According to the El Dorado County officials, plague is rare but continues to exist in natural wildlife reservoirs, particularly in rural western states. The latest case has renewed attention on the disease, which is often associated with the medieval Black Death but still appears occasionally in the United States.
What Officials Have Confirmed
El Dorado County officials explained that the case is not linked to person-to-person transmission but instead to fleas that carry Yersinia pestis, the bacterium responsible for plague. Authorities have urged residents and visitors to take precautions when spending time outdoors, particularly in wooded or high-altitude areas where rodents are present.
The county noted that dozens of rodents in the Lake Tahoe basin have tested positive for plague in recent years. Four confirmed cases in wildlife have been recorded in 2025 alone.
‘Plague is naturally present in many parts of California, including higher elevation areas of El Dorado County,’ said El Dorado County’s acting public health director Kyle Fliflet, as reported by NBC News. ‘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.
Why Tahoe Remains at Risk
Plague is endemic in parts of California and other western states, meaning it circulates among rodent populations without disappearing. El Dorado County, which includes popular outdoor recreation areas, is considered a higher-risk region due to its wildlife and climate.
Visitors are advised to avoid close contact with wild rodents, refrain from feeding squirrels or chipmunks, and keep pets leashed or indoors. Flea control products for dogs and cats are also strongly recommended.
Bubonic Plague: Cause and Transmission
The bubonic form of plague is caused by Yersinia pestis, as noted by Cleveland Clinic. Transmission to humans occurs mainly through flea bites, although handling infected animals or, in rare cases, inhaling infectious droplets can also spread the disease.
The recent Tahoe case is believed to have been contracted via flea exposure while camping, making it a textbook example of how the illness is most often transmitted in modern settings.
Bubonic Plague Symptoms to Watch For
Health experts say that symptoms of bubonic plague typically appear within one to seven days after exposure. They include sudden fever, headache, chills, weakness and painful swelling of the lymph nodes, known as buboes.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that anyone who experiences such symptoms after outdoor activity in high-risk areas should seek immediate medical care. Early treatment significantly reduces the risk of severe illness or death.
Treatment and Prognosis
Although historically deadly, bubonic plague today is treatable with modern antibiotics. Streptomycin, gentamicin and doxycycline are among the drugs commonly used.
According to the World Health Organization, without treatment, the case-fatality ratio can range from 30% to 100%. With prompt medical attention, however, survival rates improve dramatically, and most patients make a full recovery.
Recent Plague Cases in the U.S.
The South Lake Tahoe case comes shortly after other incidents across the western United States.
In July 2025, an Arizona resident died of pneumonic plague, a rarer and more dangerous respiratory form of the disease. Earlier this month, a domestic cat in Colorado tested positive and died from bubonic plague, highlighting the role of pets as possible carriers.
On average, about seven human plague cases are reported in the United States each year, most frequently in New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and California.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
Health officials in California have confirmed that a South Lake Tahoe resident has tested positive for the plague, marking the first human case in the area since 2020. The El Dorado County Public Health Division said the patient likely contracted the disease after being bitten by an infected flea while camping in the region. The individual is recovering at home and is being monitored by medical staff.
According to the El Dorado County officials, plague is rare but continues to exist in natural wildlife reservoirs, particularly in rural western states. The latest case has renewed attention on the disease, which is often associated with the medieval Black Death but still appears occasionally in the United States.
What Officials Have Confirmed
El Dorado County officials explained that the case is not linked to person-to-person transmission but instead to fleas that carry Yersinia pestis, the bacterium responsible for plague. Authorities have urged residents and visitors to take precautions when spending time outdoors, particularly in wooded or high-altitude areas where rodents are present.
The county noted that dozens of rodents in the Lake Tahoe basin have tested positive for plague in recent years. Four confirmed cases in wildlife have been recorded in 2025 alone.
‘Plague is naturally present in many parts of California, including higher elevation areas of El Dorado County,’ said El Dorado County’s acting public health director Kyle Fliflet, as reported by NBC News. ‘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.
Why Tahoe Remains at Risk
Plague is endemic in parts of California and other western states, meaning it circulates among rodent populations without disappearing. El Dorado County, which includes popular outdoor recreation areas, is considered a higher-risk region due to its wildlife and climate.
Visitors are advised to avoid close contact with wild rodents, refrain from feeding squirrels or chipmunks, and keep pets leashed or indoors. Flea control products for dogs and cats are also strongly recommended.
Bubonic Plague: Cause and Transmission
The bubonic form of plague is caused by Yersinia pestis, as noted by Cleveland Clinic. Transmission to humans occurs mainly through flea bites, although handling infected animals or, in rare cases, inhaling infectious droplets can also spread the disease.
The recent Tahoe case is believed to have been contracted via flea exposure while camping, making it a textbook example of how the illness is most often transmitted in modern settings.
Bubonic Plague Symptoms to Watch For
Health experts say that symptoms of bubonic plague typically appear within one to seven days after exposure. They include sudden fever, headache, chills, weakness and painful swelling of the lymph nodes, known as buboes.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that anyone who experiences such symptoms after outdoor activity in high-risk areas should seek immediate medical care. Early treatment significantly reduces the risk of severe illness or death.
Treatment and Prognosis
Although historically deadly, bubonic plague today is treatable with modern antibiotics. Streptomycin, gentamicin and doxycycline are among the drugs commonly used.
According to the World Health Organization, without treatment, the case-fatality ratio can range from 30% to 100%. With prompt medical attention, however, survival rates improve dramatically, and most patients make a full recovery.
Recent Plague Cases in the U.S.
The South Lake Tahoe case comes shortly after other incidents across the western United States.
In July 2025, an Arizona resident died of pneumonic plague, a rarer and more dangerous respiratory form of the disease. Earlier this month, a domestic cat in Colorado tested positive and died from bubonic plague, highlighting the role of pets as possible carriers.
On average, about seven human plague cases are reported in the United States each year, most frequently in New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and California.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
