A California resident in South Lake Tahoe contracted the plague, likely from a flea bite while camping. Health officials urge caution outdoors and around wild rodents.

PLACERVILLE — A South Lake Tahoe resident has tested positive for plague, according to health officials in El Dorado County. The bacterial disease is extremely rare in humans and can be very serious. It also can be treated with antibiotics if caught early, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A South Lake Tahoe resident has tested positive for the plague — yes, the same pest-transmitted disease estimated to have killed 25 million Europeans in the Middle Ages.