About seven people get infected by the bacterium responsible for plague, Yersinia pestis, each year, says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Most U.S. cases occur in western states including Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Nevada; in July, an Arizona man died from plague.

A Lake Tahoe resident has tested positive for the plague, California health officials confirmed on Tuesday. The resident is believed to have been bitten by an infected flea while camping in South Lake Tahoe. The infected individual is recovering at home and is receiving medical care, El Dorado County officials said in a press release.