Oregon public health officials have reported a case of bubonic plague in a local resident, who they said probably contracted it from a domestic cat.
All of the person’s close contacts have been informed and given medication, Deschutes County Health Officer Dr. Richard Fawcett said in a statement last week. The cat was also medicated.
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The county indicated that the case was identified and treated in its early stages, and that it represents little risk to the community.
Symptoms of bubonic plague include sudden fever, nausea, weakness, chills and muscle aches, county health services said. Symptoms begin two to eight days after exposure to an infected animal or flea.
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Bubonic plague can cause infections from the bloodstream and into the lungs if not diagnosed in time. These forms of the disease are more serious and difficult to treat.
The last time Oregon had reported a case of bubonic plague was in 2015.
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