After camping in Yosemite National Park in California in July, a Los Angeles child was diagnosed with plague. The California Department of Public Health will carry out an environmental evaluation in Yosemite and neighboring areas. The child is recovering, said authorities.

Officials said other people who have camped with the child have been monitored, but they have not shown any symptoms of the bacterial disease. The Yersinia pestis bacteria are responsible for the plague. Plague can spread from a bite of an infected flea or also by coming in contact with rodent carrying infected fleas.

Dr. Karen Smith, Director and State Health Officer of the CDPH, was of the view that there are very rare chances of human cases of plague. Last case of plague in California was in 2006. “Never feed squirrels, chipmunks, or other rodents in picnic or campground areas, and never touch sick or dead rodents. Protect your pets from fleas and keep them away from wild animals”, suggested Smith.

In 1300s, the plague has taken lives of millions of people. But after that modernization in medicine improved the situation and halted widespread infection of the disease. Experts affirmed that around seven or eight plague cases happen annually in the US and majorly are in the southwestern states, as there rodents and fleas are still responsible for most of the transmission.

It is always better to quickly identify the symptoms and take the treatment because the early detection is always better.