The year is 2015, but for people who have visited Yosemite National Park lately, it might feel a lot more like 1346. That was the exact year when the bubonic plague, also known as the Black Death, began its sweep through Europe. Now, the plague is back, and in a place much closer to home...
Last week, health officials in California released news that a young child from Colorado, who had visited the park with family, contracted the plague.
According to officials, the child picked up the disease somewhere in the park while camping with family. However, no other family members contracted the disease.
This comes hot on the heels of another Colorado resident contracting and succumbing to the ancient disease last week.
Catching the plague can lead to nasty things if left untreated. The bacteria that causes the plague kills you by attacking lymph nodes in the arm pit and groin areas. Within days of contracting the disease, the lymph nodes become swollen and painful. If left untreated, the plague can kill its victims within four painful days. Other plague symptoms include vomiting blood, aching limbs, and gangrene of the fingers and toes.
The primary carriers of the plague are oriental rat fleas.
Rat fleas primarily feed off of rats and make the jump to humans when they're in close quarters together.
At the moment, park officials are urging people to take precautions about the plague.
Officials are advising people to avoid dead animals and treat their clothes with bug spray while hiking. Those who suspect they might have contracted the plague are advised to seek medical attention immediately. Catching the disease in time is the key to combatting it.
While we're pretty far from mass graves of plague victims, you can never be too safe about a disease like this.
Will 2015 be the new 1346? Probably not, but it is a terrifying prospect to imagine. The plague has been around for a long time. Perhaps it's due for an evolutionary overhaul?