Rare ‘Black Death’ Case in US Sparks Fears of Deadly Plague’s Return—Could It Spread?

So, here we are—back in the 21st century, and yet some poor soul in California just tested positive for the plague. Yep, that plague—the same nasty bug that caused the Black Death and wiped out millions in Europe centuries ago. Now, before you start hoarding garlic and donning your medieval plague mask, hear me out. This camper near South Lake Tahoe was likely just an unlucky flea bite victim, as officials remind us that plague naturally lingers here and there in wild rodent populations. It’s like nature’s little reminder that some ancient threats never fully die—but hold your panic! With modern medicine, antibiotics, and a whole lot more hygiene smarts, the scenes from history books are unlikely to replay. Still, it makes you wonder—could the Dark Ages ever really make a comeback in the age of Instagram? Probably not, but one thing’s for sure: keep an eye on those pesky fleas and maybe think twice before cozying up with that suspiciously twitchy squirrel. LEARN MORE

People have been left fearing that the Black Death might make a comeback after a person in the US was diagnosed with plague.

Officials in California announced that the individual had tested positive for the infectious disease after returning from a camping trip in the South Lake Tahoe area.

It is believed that the patient was bitten by an infected flea while enjoying the great outdoors, as El Dorado County’s acting director of public health reminded people that ‘plague is naturally present’ in many parts of the state.

“It’s important that individuals take precautions for themselves and their pets when outdoors, especially while walking, hiking and or camping in areas where wild rodents are present,” Kyle Fliflet said in a statement.

The last reported plague case in South Lake Tahoe was reported in 2020, while prior to that, two people contracted it in 2015 after exploring Yosemite National Park.

But back in July, an Arizona resident passed away from pneumonic plague after interacting with a dead animal that was infected – marking the county’s first recorded death from the disease since 2007.

Each year, an average of seven human plague cases are reported in the US, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

A person in California has tested positive for plague (Getty Stock Image)

Although only one single person has tested positive for it in South Lake Tahoe, the news has obviously set alarm bells ringing for a lot of Americans.

The plague is notoriously contagious, and although it is most commonly spread by bites from infected fleas, contact with contaminated fluid, tissue, or infectious droplets can also expose you to it.

Hence why the Black Death happened – wiping tens of millions of people in Europe out in the 14th century.

The good news is, this is extremely unlikely to take place ever again, as times have changed a lot since then.

For starters, humans are a lot more hygienic and health-conscious these days, while we also have a much better understanding of how to deal with the disease – whereas our ancestors did not.

People didn’t even grasp that germs were responsible for disease until the 1800s, but us lot have got the marvel of modern medicine to rely on in contemporary society.

Now, we know that plague is caused by the bacterium Yersina pestis – and we have antibiotics which can now combat this.

Gentamicin and fluoroquinolones are first-line treatments for plague in the US, according to the CDC, and patients are given these ‘as soon as plague is suspected’.

The Black Death wiped out tens of millions of people back in the day (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Doctors obviously work on a case-by-case basis when treating people, as age, underlying health conditions and allergies can all impact the way a person is treated.

But on average, you’re good to go after 10-14 days of taking antibiotics.

So, cool your jets people – as the likelihood of the Black Death having a resurgence is seriously slim.

CDC data explains that 15 people have passed away from plague in the last 25 years, so the odds are in our favour.

There’s different forms of the disease, but the most common is the infamous bubonic plague, which is caused by the bite of an infected flea.

Pneumonic plague is the most serious and usually rare form, and spreads to the lungs from other untreated forms.

There’s also septicemic plague, which develops when bacteria that cause plague multiply in the blood.

In humans, symptoms tend to appear within two to eight days and typically include: fever, chills, headache, swollen lymph nodes and weakness.