California Resident Catches The Plague, Likely From Infected Flea At Lake Tahoe, Officials Say

Health officials successful California identified a affirmative lawsuit of plague successful a Lake Tahoe resident.

El Dorado County officials said successful a merchandise that they person notified nan California Department of Health that a resident from South Lake Tahoe has plague.

The personification is recovering astatine location and is receiving aesculapian care, nan El Dorado County merchandise said. No different accusation astir nan personification aliases nan person's information was released.

Officials judge nan sick personification was bitten by an infected flea while camping successful nan South Lake Tahoe area, nan merchandise said. Officials are investigating.

Plague is caused by germs that are astir often transmitted via bites from fleas that were already carrying nan germs aft picking it up from squirrels, chipmunks and different rodents, according to wellness officials. Dogs and cats could besides bring plague-infected fleas into homes.

Symptoms of plague usually see fever, nausea, weakness and swollen lymph nodes, and show up wrong 2 weeks of exposure. It tin beryllium treated efficaciously pinch antibiotics if it's diagnosed early.

Public wellness officials successful California show rodents successful nan area to find if they transportation plague, nan merchandise said. From 2021 to 2024, 41 rodents were recovered to person been exposed to nan plague bacteria. Four further rodents tested affirmative successful 2025, each identified successful nan Tahoe Basin.

El Dorado County officials noted really uncommon quality cases of plague are, pinch nan past reported lawsuit successful nan South Lake Tahoe area successful 2020. Prior to that, 2 group tested affirmative for plague successful 2015 aft vulnerability successful Yosemite National Park.

"Plague is people coming successful galore 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 return precautions for themselves and their pets erstwhile outdoors, particularly while walking, hiking and aliases camping successful areas wherever chaotic rodents are present."

In bid to forestall contracting plague, officials warned that group and pets should not touch squirrels, chipmunks aliases different chaotic rodents, particularly those that are dormant aliases injured. People should not campy adjacent wherever dormant rodents were observed and should deterioration agelong pants tucked into boots and spray bug repellant to trim flea exposure.