Resident tests positive for plague in South Lake Tahoe

A South Lake Tahoe, California, resident has tested positive for plague, El Dorado County said in a statement Monday.

The resident is recovering at home under the care of a medical professional, the county said.

“It’s believed that the person, an avid walker, may have been bitten by an infected flea while walking their dog along the Truckee River Corridor north of Highway 50 or the Tahoe Keys area in South Lake Tahoe,” the statement said. “Health officials are investigating the situation.”

County public health officer Dr. Nancy Williams said plague is naturally present in many parts of California.

“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,” Williams said in a statement. “Human cases of plague are extremely rare but can be very serious.”

The county said plague is caused by a bacterium called Yersinia pestis and is often transmitted by bites from fleas that got the bacteria from infected rodents, the statement said. Pets can bring the infected fleas home.

Symptoms of plague, which include fever, nausea, weakness and swollen lymph nodes, typically start to show within two weeks of exposure, the statement said. It can be treated with antibiotics if caught early.

The California Department of Public Health monitors rodents across the state for plague, and around 20 infected rodents were found between 2016 and 2019, the county said.

The last reported plague cases in the state were two humans exposed to infected rodents in Yosemite National Park in 2015, the county said. They were the first cases in the state since 2006.

Contact Alexis Ford at aford@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0335. Follow @alexisdford on Twitter.