By Dylan Bettencourt
- A Lake Tahoe camper was bitten by a flea and diagnosed with plague, while plague-positive rodents have also been found in the area.
- Measles cases in the US have hit their highest level since 1992, with over 1,375 infections and three confirmed deaths this year.
A resident of Lake Tahoe, California, has tested positive for plague after being bitten by a flea while camping. Officials said the patient is receiving medical care at home and is expected to recover.
Kyle Fliflet, acting public health director in El Dorado County, said plague is “naturally present” in parts of California. He urged people to protect themselves and their pets when outdoors.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the US records about seven plague cases a year, usually in western rural areas. The disease, which can cause fever, chills and swollen lymph nodes, is rare but treatable with antibiotics. California has already detected plague in four rodents in the Tahoe Basin this year. The last human case there was in 2020.
Meanwhile, authorities are tracking possible measles exposures in Virginia. A passenger with measles passed through Washington Dulles International Airport on 12 August, moving through the main terminal and Concourse B.
Virginia has reported three measles cases in 2025, one linked to the airport. Nationwide, there have been more than 1,375 cases this year – the most since 1992.
More than 60% of infections are in children and teenagers, mostly unvaccinated. Three deaths have already been confirmed, including two children.
Experts warn declining vaccination rates are fuelling the outbreak. Coverage has slipped to 91%, below the 95% threshold needed for herd immunity.
Dr William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert, said vaccine hesitancy is as much an education problem as a medical one. Public health leaders insist the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine remains safe and effective.
Pictured above: Disease.
Image source: Pexels
