California health officials have confirmed the first case of the plague in the state in five years – a South Lake Tahoe resident who may have been bitten by an infected flower while walking a dog, according to reports.
El Dorado County officials said they were informed of the infection by the California Department of Health. The patient, who is recovering at home, walked along the Truckee River Corridor, officials said.
If detected early, the deadly disease can be effectively treated with antibiotics. Symptoms, which usually appear within two weeks after exposure, may include fever, nausea, weakness and swollen lymph nodes.
“Plague is naturally present in many parts of California, including areas with higher elevation of El Dorado County,” said El Dorado County Public Health Officer Dr. Nancy Williams, according to ABC News.
“It is important that individuals take precautionary measures for themselves and their pets when they are outside, especially when walking, walking and / or camping in areas where wild rodents are present. “Human cases of plague are very rare, but can be very serious,” she added.
From 2016 to 2019, a total of 20 rodents with evidence of exposure to plague bacteria were discovered in South Lake Tahoe, the network reported. There were no reports of plague-associated diseases at that time.
“The most recent reported cases of plague in California were two human cases that were exposed to infected rodents when they flew into Yosemite National Park in 2015,” El Dorado County Health and Human Services said in a statement.
“Both people were treated and recovered. These were the first reported human cases in the state since 2006. “
Last month, Colorado public health officials announced that a squirrel had tested positive for bubonic plague – the first such case in the state this year.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are on average only seven human plague cases a year.
The World Health Organization says the mortality rate is estimated at between 8 percent and 10 percent.
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