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By Jasmine Laws
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A California resident has tested positive for plague after camping in the South Lake Tahoe area.
Health officials in El Dorado County believe the individual may have been bitten by an infected flea. The individual is currently under medical supervision and is recovering at home.
A few human plague cases are reported each year in the United States, most commonly in two regions: northern New Mexico, northern Arizona, and southern Colorado or California, southern Oregon, and far western Nevada.
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The El Dorado County health department told Newsweek, "Human cases of plague are extremely rare, so the likelihood of other residents acquiring it are low, particularly if they take the precautions we listed in the press release."
Why It Matters
Plague is a potentially life-threatening disease caused by the bacterium, Yersinia pestis. While it can be cured with antibiotics, these must be given to a patient as soon as possible in order to prevent serious illness or death.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are usually an average of seven human plague cases reported each year across the country, with most cases in northern New Mexico and Arizona.
In July, a person in Arizona died from plague, the first recorded death from pneumonic plague since 2007.
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What To Know
In 1900 rat–infested ships first introduced plague into the country, which resulted in disease epidemics in port cities. The last urban plague epidemic occurred in Los Angeles in 1924.
Nowadays, plague cases are much more scattered and are often in rural areas, the CDC reported.
Plague bacteria are typically transmitted via flea bites, when the fleas have acquired the bacteria from infected squirrels, chipmunks and other wild rodents. In some cases, pets like dogs and cats may also bring plague-infected fleas home.
Avoiding contact with wild rodents and keeping pets away from rodent burrows can help to prevent potential exposure to plague bacteria.
If a person has plague pneumonia, then the bacteria can also be spread through cough droplets in the air, which can be inhaled by another person.
When a person is infected with plague bacteria, it usually takes symptoms less than two weeks to appear. These can include fever, nausea, weakness and swollen lymph nodes.
The California Department of Public Health routinely monitors rodent populations for plague bacteria, and surveillance activities in El Dorado County between 2021 and 2024 found a total of 41 rodents, such as ground squirrels or chipmunks, with evidence of exposure to the plague bacterium.
An additional four rodents have tested positive for the disease in 2025, and health officials reported that all were located in the Tahoe Basin.
What People Are Saying
Kyle Fliflet, El Dorado County's acting director of public health, said: "Plague is naturally present in many parts of California, including higher elevation areas of El Dorado County. 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."
The El Dorado County health department told Newsweek: "The state department of Public Health conducts surveillance of rodent populations and monitors them for any number of viruses. As in this case, if a rodent or human tests positive for plague, the state contacts county health officials. We publish press releases, post on social media platforms and the county website, conduct media interviews, etc. to raise awareness about how to avoid plague and how to report a sick or dead rodent."
What Happens Next
Health officials are continuing to monitor the situation.
Update 8/22/25, 3:30 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with a comment from the El Dorado County health department.
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