An Oregon resident has been afflicted with the state’s first case of bubonic plague since 2015, health authorities revealed last week.
According to a news release issued on Wednesday by Deschutes County Health Services, the resident's ill pet cat was probably the source of their plague infection.Deschutes County health officer Dr. Richard Fawcett stated in the release, "All close contacts of the resident and their pet have been contacted and provided medication to prevent illness," without naming the afflicted resident.
Since the case was discovered and treated when the illness was still in its early stages, officials stated that there was no risk to the community. No new plague cases have surfaced in the course of the examination into communicable diseases.
If not identified early, the bubonic plague can develop into the more serious and challenging to treat pneumonic plague (lung infection) or septicemic plague (bloodstream infection).
Within two to eight days of exposure, humans usually start to exhibit signs of the plague. A quick onset of fever, nausea, weakness, chills, muscle aches, and observably swollen lymph nodes known as "buboes" are among the possible symptoms.
Although mice and other rodents can potentially transmit the disease, officials in Central Oregon issued a warning noting that squirrels and chipmunks are the most prevalent species to spread the bubonic plague.