SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — For the first time in five years, health officials in California confirmed a case of the plague.
El Dorado County leaders said Monday the California Department of Public Health let them know about the case in South Lake Tahoe. County leaders said the person who tested positive is getting medical care and is recovering at home.
County leaders said health officials think the person who tested positive was bitten by a flea while they were walking their dog.
Health officials said they are investigating the situation. County leaders said a lot of places across the South Lake Tahoe area have signs posted to let people know the plague is in the area and how they can prevent exposure.
"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. Human cases of plague are extremely rare but can be very serious," said El Dorado County Public Health Officer, Dr. Nancy Williams.
From 2016-2020, the California Department of Public Health said it found 20 rodents that had "had evidence of exposure to plague" in El Dorado County. The last time a plague-associated illness was reported was in 2015 after two people were exposed in Yosemite National Park. Before that, there hadn't been a case since 2006, according to health officials.
According to the Florida Department of Health, the last time a case of human plague happened in the state was 1920, when there was an outbreak in Pensacola.
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