California resident contracts plague, likely from infected flea bite during Lake Tahoe camping trip: officials
A California resident has tested positive for the plague after likely being bitten by an infected flea on a Lake Tahoe camping trip, health officials confirmed.
The El Dorado County Health and Human Services Agency said Tuesday the individual is recovering at home under medical supervision.
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) notified local officials of the case, prompting an investigation.
"It’s believed that the person may have been bitten by an infected flea while camping in the South Lake Tahoe area. Health officials are investigating the situation," the county said in a news release.
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Plague bacteria are most commonly spread by fleas that have fed on infected squirrels, chipmunks, or other wild rodents.
From 2021 through 2024, El Dorado County identified 41 rodents showing evidence of plague exposure. In 2025 so far, four more plague-positive rodents have been found in the Tahoe Basin.
Human plague infections are extremely rare in the U.S., averaging about seven cases per year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Most occur in the western states, particularly northern New Mexico and Arizona.
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Symptoms often begin with the bubonic form of the plague, which can cause health issues including fever, headache, chills, weakness, and swollen lymph nodes. Without treatment, it can progress to septicemic plague, which can cause stomach pain and bleeding into the skin.
"Plague is naturally present in many parts of California, including higher-elevation areas of El Dorado County," said Kyle Fliflet, the county’s acting public health director.
"It’s important that individuals take precautions for themselves and their pets when outdoors, especially while walking, hiking, or camping in areas where wild rodents are present."
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The most recent human case in El Dorado County before this one was reported in 2020, also thought to have come from the South Lake Tahoe area.
In 2015, two people contracted the plague after exposure to infected rodents or fleas in Yosemite National Park. Both recovered after treatment. Those were the first human cases in California since 2006, officials said.
Health authorities continue to investigate the latest case in Lake Tahoe.
"The person is fine and under medical care and the investigation is underway," El Dorado Deputy Chief Administrator, Carla Hass, told Fox News Digital.