A 16-year old girl in Oregon was diagnosed with the bubonic plague after being admitted to the intensive care unit earlier this month.
Genny Noel
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According to USA Today, the young girl is the only one infected in Crook County, Oregon.
The bubonic plague is considered the Black Death because of the way it spread across Asia, Europe and Africa in the 14th century. The plague killed over 50 million people.
The plague can be contracted through rodents and fleas, and is surprisingly still very common in today’s wildlife. Once infected, the person will begin to feel flu-like symptoms. The infected generally experiences swollen glands usually in the neck area, and I’m sure that would be a definite sign to head to the hospital.
There are no preventative vaccines that could keep us immune from the disease, but studies have found that certain medicines can act as treatments for the plague.
Emilio DeBess, the public health veterinarian for the state of Oregon explained,
“Many people think of the plague as a disease of the past, but it’s still very much present in our environment, particularly among wildlife. Fortunately, plague remains a rare disease, but people need to take appropriate precautions with wildlife and their pets to keep it that way.”
No other details have been released regarding the young Oregon girl and her current condition.
