Rare case of human plague identified in Oregon, likely spread by pet cat, health officials say

(CNN) — A person in Deschutes County, Oregon, has been diagnosed with a case of bubonic plague, making them the state’s first confirmed case of this rare bacterial infection since 2015. The person was probably infected by their cat, and “all close contacts of the resident and their pet have been contacted and provided medication to prevent illness,” Dr. Richard Fawcett, the Deschutes County health officer, said in a statement last week. Common antibiotics like gentamicin and fluoroquinolones are first-line treatment for plague, according to the US Centers for Disease...