California Resident Infected With Medieval-Era Plague

This isn’t something you see much in this century.

A California resident has tested positive for the plague.

The man reportedly tested positive for the plague after being bitten by an infected flea.

ABC News shared more details on the man’s diagnosis and the disease:

A resident in South Lake Tahoe, California, has tested positive for plague, according to local health officials.
The person is believed to have been bitten by an infected flea while camping, officials said.

In a separate incident last month, a person in Arizona died from plague.

Plague is a disease caused by a type of bacteria that usually results in about seven cases nationally each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It occurs naturally in areas of the western U.S., where it circulates among wild rodents and other animals. Humans usually get infected through the bite of an infected rodent flea or by handling an infected animal. Symptoms, including fever, nausea, weakness and swollen lymph nodes, usually show up within two weeks of exposure, according to health officials.

“Plague is naturally present in many parts of California, including higher elevation areas of El Dorado County,” Kyle Fliflet, El Dorado County’s acting director of public health, said in a statement. “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.”

A resident in South Lake Tahoe, California, has tested positive for plague, according to local health officials. The person is believed to have been bitten by an infected flea while camping, officials said.

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— ABC News (@ABC) August 20, 2025

This isn’t the first person to get the plague in the United States this year.

An Arizona man died from it last month.

CBS had the full scope on the tragic news:

A resident of northern Arizona has died from pneumonic plague, health officials said Friday.

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Plague is rare to humans, with on average about seven cases reported annually in the U.S., most of them in the western states, according to federal health officials.
The death in Coconino County, which includes Flagstaff, was the first recorded death from pneumonic plague since 2007, local officials said. Further details including the identify of the victim were not released.

“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the deceased,” said Coconino County Board of Supervisors Chair Patrice Horstman said in a statement. “We are keeping them in our thoughts during this difficult time. Out of respect for the family, no additional information about the death will be released.”

Plague is a bacterial infection known as “The Black Death” that killed tens of millions in 14th century Europe. During an eight-year period, from 1346 to 1353, it killed up to 60% of the population of Europe, the Middle East and Africa, according to estimates.