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Community Corner

Living with the Plague

When a plague-infested squirrel was found in the Angeles National Forest this month, it made for some alarming headlines. But really, that the plague exists in our mountains shouldn’t come as a surprise. The plague is with us today and has been in these parts for more than a century.

It’s estimated the Bubonic plague killed 1/3 of Europe’s population in the 1300s.  And the disease hasn’t changed over the years – it still functions and travels exactly the same way.  What has changed is that now we have weapons to fight it. Cases of the plague are not only very rare these days, they’re highly treatable using antibiotics, when caught in the early stages.

The plague is also generally preventable by taking some basic precautions.  Fleas carry the disease from an infected animal to a new host. So avoid fleas. Have a solid flea-abatement program for your domestic animals. As for you, particularly when in the mountains or other wilderness areas, wear an insect repellent that contains DEET, which will prevent flea bites. (Note: DEET is harmful to dogs, so don’t share your repellent.)

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Another thing: Remember back in the day, when you came across a particularly interesting decaying specimen of an animal and your mother would shout, “DON’T TOUCH THAT, IT’S DEAD!” She was right; don’t touch that, it’s dead. And don’t let your dog touch it, either.  Instead, call the County, 213-989-7060.

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