Yosemite Campground Temporarily Closed as Dead Squirrels Test Positive for Plague

As a precautionary public health measure, flea treatment will be applied to rodent burrows to reduce risk of human exposure and break the plague cycle in rodents.

A week ago, a girl who visited the Yosemite National Park in California tested positive for plague. The disease is carried by squirrels, chipmunks and other wild rodents and their fleas. Following this case, several dead squirrels were also found to be carrying the plague. Therefore, the officials have decided to keep the campground closed for some time. The girl was treated and has recovered.

Park officials said, "As an extremely precautionary public health measure, flea treatment will be applied to rodent burrows in Tuolumne Meadows Campground because several dead animals were tested and found to be carrying plague. The campground will be closed from August 17-21, 2015. The park itself will remain open, including all the other campgrounds."

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Karen Smith, the director and state health officer for the California Department of Public Health, said, "By eliminating the fleas, we reduce the risk of human exposure and break the cycle of plague in rodents at the sites."

Yosemite National Park, located in northern California's Sierra Nevada mountains, is the third-most visited of the United State's national parks and one of the oldest.

Source-AFP

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