The Oregon Health Authority has disclosed a case of bubonic plague in the state. The authority announced on Tuesday that an Oregon teen has been found contracting the infection caused by Yersinia pestis.

Emilio DeBess, the condition public health veterinarian, confirmed the case and said that the 16-year-old girl was on a hunting trip earlier this month near the small town of Heppner when she was bitten by a flea. The girl fell ill on October 21 and three days later, she was taken to a hospital. The government agency revealed that less than ten cases of human plague have been confirmed in the country every year.

Earlier this month, a teenager from Oregon was diagnosed with the bubonic plague. Chipmunks, squirrels, some wild rodents and fleas are considered to carry the infectious bacterial disease. Sufferers of bubonic plague can have symptoms like headache, chills, watery cough and weakness. If the infection is not treated on time, it could be fatal to humans. As per the World Health Organization, the plague can be treated with antibiotics, but it is necessary to treat early.

While providing details about the plague, DeBess said, "Many people think of the plague as a disease of the past, but it's still very much present in our environment. Fortunately, plague remains a rare disease, but people need to take appropriate precautions with wildlife and their pets to keep it that way".

As per a report of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the plague was introduced to the country more than a century ago in 1900 by rat-infested steamships. Those ships sailed from infected areas, the agency disclosed.