Plague-Carrying Chipmunks Close Down Popular California Beach

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Lake Tahoe's popular south shore was shut down after the plague was found in chipmunks in the area.

According to FOX40, the U.S. Forest Service announced that at least two sites will be closed until Friday, August 6.

Kiva Beach, the Taylor Creek Visitor Center, and their parking areas will close while the U.S. Forest Service treats the area, officials announced.

The Tallac Site and Kiva Picnic area will remain open.

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.

California had its first plague case in 5 years in August 2020 when a person was reportedly infected by a flea while walking a dog near the south shore of Lake Tahoe.


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