A South Lake Tahoe resident tested positive for the bubonic plague and is believed to have been bitten by an infected flea while camping in the area, El Dorado County health officials said on Tuesday.

The person is now recovering at home.

“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.”

The county said that human cases of plague are extremely rare but can be very serious. The last human case of plague in El Dorado County was in 2020. Before then, two peopl

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