California child diagnosed with plague after Yosemite trip

In a rather freakish case of timing, a young child from Los Angeles is being investigated for a case of human plague after visiting the Stanislaus National Forest and camping at Crane Flat Campground in Yosemite National Park in mid-July, according to the CDPH. No other members of the camping party reported symptoms and health officials are continuing to monitor the child’s family and treatment providers.

In 2012, another disease carried by rodents, called hantavirus, sickened nine people, killing three of them.

Since 2006 this is the first human case in California and public health officials are likely to investigate the Yosemite and Stanislaus National Forest areas to know the source of infection.

Signs at a Yosemite campground inform campers about steps to take to avoid catching the plague.

A California child has been diagnosed with plague after camping in the Yosemite National Park.

Officials say to see a doctor if you’ve been in the wildlife and you have these symptoms, but they’re hoping this is just an isolated case.

However the new case from Yosemite National Park poses a great concern since it was reported a couple of days after health authorities from Colorado confirmed the death of their second plague victim. More details about the child have not been released, but per Dr Karen Smith, State Health Officer, the child is recovering.

It was still unknown how the child possibly caught the rare but very unsafe disease in Yosemite National Park.

State officials are working with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and park and forest officials to determine the source of the child’s infection. As long as it’s not left untreated, several courses of antibiotics would make sure that the patient does not perish as many others have over 700 years ago. This year, it has killed two people in Colorado, a teen and an adult who passed away earlier this week in spite of a simple treatment.

Plague is carried by fleas and their hosts: squirrels, chipmunks and other wild rodents.

For those who have recently come from the area and are sick, some of the early symptoms of the plague include high fever, chills, nausea, weakness and swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpit or groin.