California Resident Tests Positive for Bubonic Plague Near Lake Tahoe

LAKE TAHOE, Calif., August 21, 2025 - A resident of South Lake Tahoe has tested positive for bubonic plague. Health officials say the person was bitten by an infected flea while camping in the area.

El Dorado County Acting Director of Public Health Kyle Fliflet said the individual is recovering at home with medical supervision. They likely got exposed while outdoors in an area where plague-carrying rodents are found. This is the first human case of plague in the Tahoe Basin since 2020. Four local rodents tested positive for Yersinia pestis, the plague bacterium, earlier this year.

The CDC reports an average of seven human plague cases in the U.S. each year. Over 80% of these cases are bubonic plague. Symptoms usually show up within two weeks after exposure. They include fever, chills, nausea, and painful, swollen lymph nodes near the flea bite. When caught early, bubonic plague responds well to antibiotics. Survival rates are over 95%.

Health officials urge residents and visitors to take simple precautions in affected areas:

• Wear insect repellent containing DEET and check for flea bites after outdoor activities.
• Keep pets on flea control and don’t let them roam in rodent areas.
• Clear brush and debris around homes to reduce rodent habitats.

““Plague is found in many areas of California, including higher elevations in El Dorado County,” Fliflet said. “When hiking, camping, or walking, people and their pets need to watch out for wild rodents.

The bubonic plague may remind you of the medieval “Black Death.” Still, today’s cases in the U.S. are rare and can be treated. Public health surveillance in the Tahoe Basin keeps an eye on rodent populations. This helps prevent the spread of this zoonotic disease.