Health officials in California have confirmed that a South Lake Tahoe resident has tested positive for the plague, marking the first human case in the area since 2020. The El Dorado County Public Health Division said the patient likely contracted the disease after being bitten by an infected flea while camping in the region. The individual is recovering at home and is being monitored by medical staff.
According to the El Dorado County officials, plague is rare but continues to exist in natural wildlife reservoirs, particularly in rural western states. The latest case has renewed attention on the disease, which is often associated with the medieval Black Death but still appears occasionally in the United States.
