ATLANTA -- A Georgia tourist who visited California has a possible case of the plague but is expected to make a "full recovery," state health officials said Wednesday.
The patient might have been infected while hiking in California, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. The patient is being treated with antibiotics, officials said.
Health officials say the Georgia patient is the second human case in less than a month as California authorities investigate an outbreak that also involves infected animals in Yosemite National Park, the Sierra National Forest, and surrounding areas.
California health officials say the Georgia patient, who they said has a "presumptive positive case," had visited areas involved in the California outbreak in early August.
The disease is carried by squirrels, chipmunks and other small rodents and is spread by their fleas. Today, the plague can be easily treated with antibiotics.
"Antibiotics are effective in treating plague, but without prompt treatment, the disease can cause serious illness or death," Dr. Patrick O'Neal, director of health protection for the Georgia Department of Public Health, said in a statement.