First human case of plague in state since 1992 hits Idaho, child recovering

BOISE, Idaho — A child in Boise, Idaho, is recovering after they were infected with the first human diagnosis of the plague in the state since 1992. The Central District Health Department confirmed the infection.

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The Idaho Statesman Journal reported that the child has received antibiotics. It is not clear if the child was exposed to the disease in Idaho or while in Oregon for a trip.

“Plague is spread to humans through a bite from an infected flea. People can decrease their risk by treating their pets for fleas and avoiding contact with wildlife,” Sarah Correll, a Central District Health Department epidemiologist, said in a statement. “Wear insect repellent, long pants and socks when visiting plague-affected areas.”

According to the Idaho Statesman, plague has been found historically in wildlife in Idaho and Oregon. Since 1990, there have been two cases of the plague in humans in Idaho and eight in Oregon.

A bubonic plague smear, prepared from a lymph removed from an adenopathic lymph node, or bubo, of a plague patient, demonstrates the presence of the Yersinia pestis bacteria that causes the plague in this undated photo. (Photo by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Getty Images)

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