Plague Case Confirmed in California After Camping Trip
A resident of California has tested positive for the plague, likely due to an infected flea bite while camping near Lake Tahoe, according to health officials. The individual is currently recovering at home under medical supervision.
The El Dorado County Health and Human Services Agency announced the case, triggering an investigation by local authorities. It is believed the infected flea may have come from wild rodents in the South Lake Tahoe area.
In a statement, the county emphasized, “Health officials are actively looking into this situation.”
Plague bacteria are typically spread by fleas that have fed on infected animals like squirrels, chipmunks, and other rodents. In El Dorado County, there have been 41 rodents showing signs of plague exposure from 2021 to 2024, and four more plague-positive rodents were identified in 2025.
Human infections are quite rare in the U.S., with an average of about seven cases reported each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Most cases occur in western states, particularly northern New Mexico and Arizona.
Symptoms of the plague can start as the bubonic form, which may cause fever, headaches, chills, weakness, and swollen lymph nodes. If left untreated, it can develop into a more severe septicemic form, which may lead to stomach pain and bleeding.
Kyle Fliflet, the acting public health director of El Dorado County, advised, “It’s essential for people to take precautions for themselves and their pets while outdoors, especially in areas where wild rodents are present.”
The last reported human case of plague in El Dorado County occurred in 2020, also linked to the South Lake Tahoe area. Prior to that, there were instances in 2015 when two individuals contracted the plague after exposure to infected rodents in Yosemite National Park.
Currently, health authorities are continuing their investigation into the latest case, and officials confirmed the individual is receiving appropriate medical care.
