Bubonic Plague Alert Issued in Upper Sierra

TRUCKEE, Calif. — Campers and residents in the upper Sierra have been warned to keep their pets indoors after bubonic plague was found in a cat and two chipmunks.

While no humans have been stricken, the Nevada County Department of Environmental Health has issued a “plague alert,” listing precautions that should be taken.

Bubonic plague, carried by infected fleas, can be transmitted to humans by rodents or pets that come in contact with them.

Early symptoms include fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, a feeling of weakness and usually, but not always, swollen and tender lymph nodes.

Symptoms usually develop within two to six days, so people should contact a physician immediately if they become ill within a week of being in a plague-endemic area, such as the eastern Sierra.

Today, bubonic plague is usually curable with antibiotics if treatment is timely.