The bacterial disease is usually spread by chipmunks, squirrels, and other wild rodents and their fleas.
Officials warned that while human cases of the plague occur naturally in parts of California, they are rare and can be serious.
“People can become infected through close contact with infected animals or the bite of an infected flea,” the Forest Service warned. “Plague can be prevented by avoiding contact with these rodents and their fleas, and by keeping pets away from rodents and their burrows.”
Officials in El Dorado County also issued similar warnings after the plague was detected in the same area.
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