A plague infecting chipmunks living around Lake Tahoe has forced officials to shut down portions of the tourist attraction.
Chipmunks in South Lake Tahoe tested positive for the plague, El Dorado County representative Carla Hass said Monday. So far, there are no reported cases of human contact.
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Because of the positive plague results, officials have closed off the Taylor Creek visitor center, Kiva Beach, and their associated parking lots. However, the Tallac Site and Kiva picnic area will stay open.
The plague is “naturally present” across California and spreads through wild animals and rodents, public health officials told the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
Last year, a resident near Lake Tahoe tested positive for the disease.
“It’s important that individuals take precautions for themselves and their pets when outdoors, especially while walking, hiking or camping in areas where wild rodents are present,” California health officials warned in a press release last September. The notice followed the first confirmed case of animal-to-human plague transmission in California in five years.
“Human cases of plague are extremely rare but can be very serious,” the statement said.
The U.S. Forest Service said it will finish exterminating the area Thursday, hoping to reopen closed-off sections of the park this weekend.
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