It has been reported that a 14-year-old boy from Idaho was infected with bubonic plague. It remains unclear whether he was infected in Idaho or during a recent trip to Oregon. There is, however, an official report stating that the ground squirrels near the child's home tested positive for plague in 2015 and 2016.

Bubonic plague is a type of plague caused by Yersinia pestis. It is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected flea.

This is reported as the first case in Idaho in about 26 years and considered to be the fifth since 1940. During the middle ages, the plague was widespread across Europe, where nearly half of the population died. Hence it is also known as the ‘Black Death’.

This news was published at first by Elmore County Central District Health Department (CDHD). They stated that this is not an emerging pattern of infections. CDHD stated, "Since 1990, eight human cases were confirmed in Oregon, and two were confirmed in Idaho; Symptoms of plague usually occur within 2–6 days of exposure and include sudden onset of fever, chills, headache, and weakness. In most cases, there is also a painful swelling of the lymph nodes in the groin, armpit, or neck." Regarding the health risk, CDHD said “prompt diagnosis and appropriate antibiotic treatment can greatly reduce the risk of death."