Test residents of positive California for the plague after a likely infected chip bite

A California resident was tested positive for the plague after probably being bitten by an infected chip during a campsite trip to Lake Tahoe, health officials confirmed.

The health and social services agency of the County of El Dorado said on Tuesday that the person was recovering at home under medical supervision.

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) informed local officials of the case, which prompted an investigation.

“We think that the person may have been bitten by an infected chip at the campsite in the South Lake Tahoe region. Health officials are investigating the situation,” said the county in a press release.

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The plague bacteria cause bubonic plague and are transported to the pathogen of rats. There are still many regions where the disease occurs. (istock)

The plague bacteria are most often distributed by chips that have fed on infected squirrels, tamias or other wild rodents.

From 2021 to 2024, the county of El Dorado identified 41 rodents showing evidence of exposure to the plague. In 2025 so far, four other positive rodents for the plague have been found in the Tahoe basin.

Human plague infections are rare in the United States, on average about seven cases per year, according to centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Most occur in Western states, in particular northern New Mexico and Arizona.

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A motorhome of Lake Tahoe was tested positive for the plague, probably from an infected chip bite. (istock)

Symptoms often start with the bubonic form of the plague, which can cause health problems, including fever, headache, chills, weakness and swollen lymph nodes. Without treatment, it can progress towards septicemic plague, which can cause stomach pain and bleeding in the skin.

“The plague is naturally present in many regions of California, including the highest areas of the County of El Dorado,” said Kyle Fliflet, director of acting public health of the county.

“It is important that individuals take precautions for themselves and their pets outside, in particular by walking, hiking or camping in areas where wild rodents are present.”

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The bacteria of the plague are most often transmitted by the bites of rodent chips and other wild animals. (istock)

The most recent human case in the county of El Dorado before it was reported in 2020, which would also have come from the South Lake Tahoe region.

In 2015, two people contracted the plague after exposure to infected rodents or chips in Yosemite National Park. Both recovered after treatment. These are the first human cases in California since 2006, officials said.

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The health authorities continue to investigate the last case of Lake Tahoe.

“The person is doing well and under medical care, and the investigation is underway,” the deputy chief administrator, Carla Hass.