- Oregon authorities rush to contain bubonic plague outbreak in state
- The unidentified local resident is believed to have contracted the plague from his pet cat.
Officials in Oregon are scrambling to contain an outbreak of bubonic plague after announcing the state’s first case since 2015.
Health officials announced Wednesday that the unidentified resident is believed to have contracted plague from a symptomatic cat.
Deschutes County Health Officer Dr. Richard Fawcett said in a statement that “all close contacts of residents and their pets have been contacted and provided medication to prevent the disease.”
Mr Fawcett said there was little risk to the community as the case was identified and treated at an early stage of the disease.
Officials say no new cases of plague have been detected during the infectious disease investigation.
This is the first case of bubonic plague in Oregon since a 16-year-old boy contracted the disease in 2015.
The teenager became ill after being bitten by an infected flea during a hunting trip near Heppner in Morrow County.
There have been eight cases in the state over the past 20 years, but no deaths.
In 2012, an Oregon man lost his fingers and toes to the plague. He also contracted the disease from his cat after trying to remove a mouse from the cat’s throat.
This infectious bacterial disease is transmitted by squirrels, chipmunks, and other wild rodents and their fleas.
If an infected rodent becomes ill and dies, the fleas can transmit the infection to other animals or humans through their bites.
If caught early, it can be treated with antibiotics, but if left untreated it can be fatal. Bubonic plague is characterized by high fever, lethargy, and swollen lymph nodes.
No plague vaccine is available at this time.
Officials recommend avoiding contact with wild rodents, especially sick or dead rodents, and never feeding squirrels or chipmunks.
Pet owners are also advised to keep their pets away from wild rodents to avoid infection.
