Oregon Reports First Human Case of Bubonic Plague in Nearly a Decade

Oregon health officials have confirmed a rare case of human plague in a resident who was likely infected by their symptomatic house cat. In a statement issued on Feb. 7, Deschutes County Health Services said it was the state’s first human case of bubonic plague—known as the Black Death in the Middle Ages—since 2015. Dr. Richard Fawcett, the Deschutes County health officer, said all those who’d been in close contact with the infected person were given medication to prevent any potential infections from developing into symptoms. “All close contacts of the resident and their pet have been contacted and provided medication to prevent illness,” Dr. Fawcett said, without identifying the infected individual....