California Warned of Plague Risk After Chipmunks Tested Positive for Pathogens

According to press sources, chipmunks in the South Lake Tahoe area tested positive for plague, leading officials to shut many locations in the area.

The Tahoe Daily Tribune reported that officials stated this week that Kiva Beach and the Taylor Creek Visitor Center in South Lake Tahoe will be closed through Friday (Aug. 6) due to positive plague testing.

According to the Daily Tribune, the afflicted chipmunks have no known human interaction.

Plague Bacteria in the US

Plague is an infectious illness caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, most commonly seen in small animals and their fleas. The condition is passed from animal to animal by fleas, and because it is a zoonotic bacteria, it may also be passed from animal to human.

Humans can become infected by being bitten by infected fleas, coming into direct touch with infected objects, or inhaling contaminated air. If left untreated, the plague may be a severe disease in people, especially in its septicemic and pneumonic stages, with a case-fatality ratio of 30 percent to 100 percent.

Even though the plague has been responsible for several pandemics throughout history, including the so-called Black Death, which killed over 50 million people in Europe during the fourteenth century, it is now treatable with medicines and regular prevention measures.

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