Officials confirm first human plague case in Idaho since 1992

BOISE, Idaho — An Idaho child was infected with the plague this week, the first human diagnosis in the state since 1992, health officials confirmed.

The child, from Elmore County, is recovering after receiving antibiotics, the Idaho Statesman Journal reported .

The disease is spread to humans through a bite from an infected flea, Central District Health Department epidemiologist Sarah Correll said.

Cases of plague in Idaho were diagnosed in squirrels as recently as 2016, though none have been found in southern Ada County or Elmore County this year. It is unknown whether the child was exposed to the disease in Idaho or during a recent trip to Oregon.

There have been two cases of plague in humans in Idaho and eight in Oregon since 1990, the Statesman said.

Human symptoms of plague usually appear within two to six days of contact and include fever, chills, headaches and often a swelling of lymph nodes under the armpit, the Central District Health Department said.