CA Chipmunks With Plague Prompt Closure Of Areas In Lake Tahoe

San Francisco CA

03 August, 2021

12:30 PM

Description

TAHOE, CA — After some chipmunks tested positive for plague, officials closed recreational areas in South Lake Tahoe on Monday, according to multiple reports. The Taylor Creek Visitor Center, Kiva Beach and their respective parking areas will be closed until Friday, the Tahoe Daily Tribune reported. The U.S. Forest Service will facilitate vector control treatment of the areas throughout the week, the Associated Press reported. Chipmunks that tested positive were not found to have come into contact with humans, El Dorado County spokesperson Carla Hoss told the Tahoe Daily Tribune. A plague is a bacterial infection that is known to have spurred massive epidemics and the deaths of millions of people in centuries past. The disease caused the "Black Death" in the 14th century, which killed one-third of Europe's population. News of the plague is likely to raise hairs among Californians as the coronavirus pandemic continues to upend normal life, but the disease is rare among humans, according to the California Department of Public Health. Those who develop plague symptoms — fever and swollen lymph nodes — can be treated with antibiotics. However, the condition can become serious if treatment is delayed. Californians visiting, living or camping in areas where plague is present are advised to avoid contact with wildlife and fleas, according to CDPH. Domestic pets are also susceptible to plague and can pass the infection to their owners, officials said. Plague occurs naturally in some areas of the Golden State and is typically found each year among squirrels, chipmunks and other rodents, according to CDPH.