Campground squirrels test positive for plague in San Jacinto Mountains
Squirrels at two campgrounds in the San Jacinto Mountains have tested antibody-positive for plague (had been exposed to the disease sometime in the past) this month, according to Riverside County health officials.
Grossest health concerns of the summer
Now the Riverside County Environmental Health Vector Control Program wants to make sure visitors and campers are taking the proper precautions to stay safe and healthy while having fun in the mountains.
The squirrels were in the Dark Canyon Campground and Marion Mountain Campground.
The Riverside County Environmental Health Vector Control Program was notified about the positive blood tests by the California Department of Public Health, which were collected on June 8 and June 13. The U.S. Forest Service district rangers and safety officer have also been notified.
The antibody-positive test means the squirrels had been exposed to the disease sometime in the past. All campgrounds are continuously posted to remind campers that plague has been found in the area in the past.
According to the release, plague is a rare bacterial disease in rodents that can be transmitted through the bite of infected rodent fleas. The disease has been detected in ground squirrels, chipmunks, and other wild rodents throughout many mountain regions in Southern California. The last positive plague samples in the San Jacinto Mountain Range were in 2012 and 2002.
Because plague typically is spread by the bite of infected rodent fleas, visitors and campers should take the following precautions:
Do not set up tents on or near rodent burrows
Do not feed or pick up any wild animals
Do not touch or handle any dead animals
Keep pets on a leash while camping and ensure they have been treated against fleas
Report any sick or dead rodents to campground staff
Contact your family medical provider if you experience any illness after camping in mountain areas
You can also call officials with the Vector Control Program at 951-766-9454.
