An Oregon teen has been hospitalized after contracting the bubonic plague after coming in contact with an infected flea on a hunting trip.
According to the Oregon Health Authority and the Crook County Public Health Department, the young girl noticed symptoms on Oct. 21, was hospitalized in Bend, Oregon on Oct. 24 and is currently recovering in the ICU.
CNN News explains that “the plague usually occurs in rural and semi-rural areas of the western United States, most commonly in New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado.
The disease is extremely rare in Oregon, although there has been 15 other human cases of the plague in the United States this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The plague can be treated with antibiotics if caught early but unfortunately there is no plague vaccine available at this time, says Fox News.
The illness can be fatal if left undetected or untreated. Experts recommend staying away from rodents including rats, chipmunks and squirrels, alive or dead, to avoid coming into contact with the disease.