PORTLAND, Ore. — Deschutes County health officials confirmed a case of bubonic plague last week, marking Oregon’s first case of the illness since 2015.
The county said the person was likely infected by their pet cat who had the illness. The resident and their pet were given medication to prevent the illness from spreading, Deschutes County Health Officer Dr. Richard Fawcett said in a statement.
The plague can spread to humans or animals through a bite from an infected flea or by coming in contact with an animal that has the illness, according to health officials. The most common animals to carry the illness in Oregon are squirrels and chipmunks.
County health officials said the disease was detected in its early stages, posing little risk to the community. No other cases were reported or found during the county’s investigation.
Cases of the plague are rare. In the U.S., an average of seven cases of human plague (bubonic, septicemic or pneumonic) is reported each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and about 80% of them are the bubonic form of the disease.
Humans typically start to see symptoms of the plague within two to eight days of being exposed, including fever, nausea, weakness, chills, muscle aches and visibly swollen lymph nodes called buboes.
Health officials are urging people to take caution to prevent contact with the plague. That includes keeping pets away from rodents and fleas, protecting yourself and pets with insect repellent and keeping rodents out of homes as much as possible.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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