California can’t seem to escape disaster, whether it’s out-of-control wildfires, skyrocketing crime, rampant homelessness, or the latest nightmare: the plague.
Authorities believe the individual contracted the disease after being bitten by a flea while camping in the Tahoe area.
The El Dorado County Environmental Management Division and Public Health Division claim the patient is recovering at home under medical care.
Kyle Fliflet, the county’s “Acting Director of Public Health,” brushed off the seriousness of the matter by noting, “Plague is naturally present in many parts of California.”
California is back to the days of medieval diseases, all while Gavin Newsom and state Democrats obsess over “climate change” and sanctuary policies.
According to the press release:
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. 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.
“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.
Plague is caused by the bacterium, Yersinia pestis. Plague bacteria are most often transmitted by the bites of fleas that have acquired the bacteria from infected squirrels, chipmunks and other wild rodents. Dogs and cats may also bring plague-infected fleas into the home. People can get plague when they are bitten by infected fleas. Plague can be prevented by avoiding contact with wild rodents, and by keeping pets away from rodent burrows.
Symptoms of plague usually show up within two weeks of exposure to an infected animal or flea and include fever, nausea, weakness and swollen lymph nodes. Plague can be effectively treated with antibiotics if detected early.
CDPH routinely monitors rodent populations for plague activity in California and closely coordinates with county health officials. Surveillance activities in El Dorado County from 2021 through 2024 found a total of 41 rodents (ground squirrels or chipmunks) with evidence of exposure to the plague bacterium. To date in 2025, four additional rodents have tested positive. All these rodents were identified in the Tahoe Basin.
Human cases of plague are extremely rare but can be very serious. Prior to the current case, the most recently reported case of human plague in El Dorado County was in 2020, likely exposed in the South Lake Tahoe area. Two people were reported with plague in 2015 after having been exposed to infected rodents or their fleas in Yosemite National Park. All individuals were treated and recovered. Those were the first reported human cases in the state since 2006.
Tips to prevent plague include the following:
- Do not feed squirrels, chipmunks or other wild rodents.
- Never touch sick, injured or dead rodents.
- Do not allow your pets to play with or pick up sick, injured or dead rodents.
- Do not camp, sleep or rest near animal burrows or areas where dead rodents are observed.
- Look for and heed posted warning signs.
- Wear long pants tucked into boot tops and spray insect repellent containing DEET on socks and pant cuffs to reduce exposure to fleas.
- Leave pets home if possible; otherwise keep pets on a leash. Do not allow pets to approach sick or dead rodents or explore rodent burrows.
- Protect pets with flea control products.
- Pet cats are highly susceptible to plague and can pose a direct threat to humans. Keep cats away from rodents. Consult a veterinarian if your cat becomes sick after being in contact with rodents.
- If you get sick after being in an area where plague is known to occur, consult a physician and tell them you may have been exposed to plague.
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