A South Lake Tahoe resident is recovering at home after testing positive for the plague, likely from a flea bite during a camping trip, El Dorado County and California Department of Public Health reported. The plague can be treated with antibiotics if caught early, according to ABC7 News. Surveillance in the Tahoe Basin from 2021 to 2024 found 41 rodents exposed to the plague bacterium, with four more testing positive this year.
A statement obtained by El Dorado County health officials emphasized the importance of precautions such as avoiding contact with wild rodents, and ensuring pets are also kept away from potential sources of infection. Kyle Fliflet, El Dorado County's Acting Director of Public Health, advised that "Plague is naturally present in many parts of California, including higher elevation areas of El Dorado County." The presence of the bacterium Yersinia pestis, responsible for the disease, is most often transmitted by fleas that have fed on infected wild rodents, such as squirrels and chipmunks.
El Dorado County authorities are advising the public to avoid contact with wildlife, stay away from areas with dead rodents, and use flea control for pets. People who get sick after possible exposure should seek medical care. The last human plague case in the county was in 2020, as mentioned by Fox5Vegas. Sick or dead rodents can be reported to El Dorado County Environmental Management, and information on plague prevention is available from the California Department of Public Health. State and local health officials are monitoring the situation.
