40 like 0 dislike
in General Factchecking by Apprentice (1.9k points)
reshown by

Somebody in Central Oregon was treated with the plague?

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPR35BUf7/

by Novice (520 points)
0 0
Yes, this claim is true, Deschutes County Health Services has verified a case of human plague. According to information provided on the official Deschutes County website, the individual   contracted the infection from their symptomatic pet cat. Fortunately, prompt identification has mitigated community risk. Notably, the previous instance of plague in the area was documented in 2015.


https://www.deschutescounty.gov/health/page/deschutes-county-confirms-case-human-plague-local-resident
by Newbie (410 points)
0 0
This claim is true. There has been one person who contracted the disease through a house cat, and this incident did happen in Oregon. According to the Deschutes County Health Service, they verified that it is not a widespread risk and was quickly contained, ensuring it poses no further concern to the general public. Additionally, an NPR article backs up this information, confirming its accuracy while emphasizing that it is not considered a significant threat.

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2024/02/14/1231215446/so-you-think-you-know-all-about-the-plague
by Novice (500 points)
0 0
Yes, this information is accurate. Deschutes Country confirmed that one resident was by their infected pet cat.  “All close contacts of the resident and their pet have been contacted and provided medication to prevent illness,” said Dr. Richard Fawcett, Deschutes County Health Officer.

https://www.deschutes.org/health/page/deschutes-county-confirms-case-human-plague-local-resident
by Newbie (370 points)
0 0
Yes, this claim is true since there is evidence from the CDC that someone from central Oregon contracted the bubonic plague. They were infected by their house cat who has since then passed away but the human is being treated and is now on the mend.

https://www.deschutes.org/health/page/deschutes-county-confirms-case-human-plague-local-resident
by Novice (610 points)
0 0
Your fact check was short and informative. You let us know the facts and the information that was needed. I appreciate you including the information about the last recorded case of the plaque as well.
by Newbie (480 points)
0 0
Good response. Your fact check was informative, and I feel I can believe and understand the initial claim better. The information you included was very helpful.
by Novice (820 points)
0 0
I think your comment was very insightful because you did also include a detail where it's not something that everyone should be worried about like the Tik Tok where it could harm people into thinking they are at a huge amount of risk.
by Novice (930 points)
0 0
I thought you did a good job with this claim! The only thing I would say is to add more background information about the source. Adding a quote is good, but I would explain the source a little more.

32 Answers

1 like 0 dislike
by Apprentice (1.6k points)
The claim that an individual in Central Oregon was treated for the plague is true. Deschutes County confirmed the case of human plague in their county, stating that the resident likely contracted the disease from an infected pet. The TikTok linked above does appear to be true, but comes from a slightly satirical account, "dailyfishtoknews" on TikTok. While the fish-tok appears to be a fun-take on a news source, I did confirm the case of plague in Oregon through other publications such as the Associated Press. Overall, this claim is true.

Link to TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailyfishtoknews/video/7335158783276027182?_r=1&_t=8jrcLwkFYHH

Link to Deschutes County: https://www.deschutescounty.gov/health/page/deschutes-county-confirms-case-human-plague-local-resident

Associated Press: https://apnews.com/us-news/plague-oregon-general-news-6d5a71b8a45e5e38ec321fd48fdb9576

Associated Press: https://apnews.com/article/oregon-bubonic-plague-bc33b82a23fe60c27c113e72bc05ce32?utm_source=copy&utm_medium=share
True
1 like 0 dislike
by Novice (890 points)
This claim is true. According to AP news, the central Oregon resident likely got the disease from their sick pet cat. Although they have the plague, the situation is contained and the spread of the disease has been taken care of. Cases of the plague are not common, yet they are not the most rare either. A man recently died from the plague in Alaska.
by Genius (47.3k points)
0 0
Don't forget to include the URL of all your sources. Thanks!
1 like 0 dislike
by Novice (890 points)
This claim is true (although I wouldn't normally trust a source from TikTok). According to AP New's the sickness was discovered just last week and all people in close contact with the patient are currently being medically treated. The person is believed to have gotten the sickness from a sick cat.

https://apnews.com/us-news/plague-oregon-general-news-6d5a71b8a45e5e38ec321fd48fdb9576
True
1 like 0 dislike
by Novice (540 points)

This statement is true. The reports of someone being with the plague has been found to be real. Someone from Central Oregon was found to be in contact with a pet cat who had the bubonic plague and the cat passed the illness to the owner. While yes the plague can be dangerous with modern medicine and catching the symptoms early one can be cured from the bubonic plague.

https://apnews.com/us-news/plague-oregon-general-news-6d5a71b8a45e5e38ec321fd48fdb9576#

True
by Genius (47.3k points)
0 0
Nice, brief fact-check. Don't forget to mention your source within the fact-check.
1 like 0 dislike
by Novice (860 points)

The claim is true. A few reports claim that Deschutes County Health Services has verified a case of bubonic plague, which is thought to have been contracted by their cat. Dr. Richard Fawcett attested that the resident's cat and all of their close acquaintances had been advised and given medication. Additionally, it has been confirmed by health experts that they discovered it in its initial stages, presenting no harm to the community.

sources: 

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/pet-owner-bubonic-plague-cat-oregon/story?id=107193625

https://apnews.com/us-news/plague-oregon-general-news-6d5a71b8a45e5e38ec321fd48fdb9576#:~:text=Print-,Officials%20in%20central%20Oregon%20this%20week%20reported%20a%20case%20of,believed%20to%20be%20at%20risk.

https://www.deschutes.org/health/page/deschutes-county-confirms-case-human-plague-local-resident

True
by Genius (47.3k points)
0 0
You've listed multiple hyperlinks, but I don't see the citations within the text (according to....this is true, etc.). It's best to include where you found your info within the fact-check. Thanks!
1 like 0 dislike
by Novice (820 points)

Yes, this claim is indeed accurate. Initially presented in a TikTok video, a platform that often garners skepticism due to its informal nature, the assertion underwent scrutiny for its veracity. To verify its authenticity, I conducted a thorough fact-check by referring to the official Deschutes County website. There, I found a comprehensive article addressing the specific scenario mentioned, confirming that a patient had indeed been diagnosed with the plague but had successfully undergone treatment. Instances concerning public health, particularly concerning infectious diseases, necessitate reliable and authoritative sources of information. Turning to government or county websites ensures access to verified and trustworthy data, crucial for making informed decisions and understanding the gravity of the situation.

by Genius (47.3k points)
0 0
Going forward, don't forget to add your sources.
1 like 0 dislike
by Novice (570 points)

This statement is true. There is a reported case of the plague in Oregon. According to a USA Today article, the individual was infected with the bubonic plague, one that "killed 50 million people in the Middle Ages".  The plague was reported to have come from the individual's pet cat. Because it was caught early, doctors believe this case should not cause public concern. 

https://apnews.com/us-news/plague-oregon-general-news-6d5a71b8a45e5e38ec321fd48fdb9576

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2024/02/16/bubonic-plague-oregon-confirmed-what-to-know/72627028007/

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/feb/13/bubonic-plague-oregon-what-to-know

1 like 0 dislike
by Novice (750 points)

Deschutes County Health Services, which reported a case of human plague that was probably contracted from a sick pet cat, substantiates this assertion. Since the case was discovered early on, Dr. Richard Fawcett said that the resident's cat and all of their close contacts have been notified and given medicine, reducing the risk to the community. Since 2015, Oregon has not seen a case like this one until now. In recent decades, the plague—mostly the bubonic form—has seen an average of seven human cases annually, with over 80% of those instances occurring in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Antibiotics are an excellent treatment for the plague, despite its seriousness. From 1924 to 1925, Los Angeles saw the last known urban plague outbreak in the United States.

https://www.deschutescounty.gov/health/page/deschutes-county-confirms-case-human-plague-local-resident

True
1 like 0 dislike
by Novice (690 points)
This claim is true there is someone reported to have the bubonic plague in Oregon. According to reliable news outlets the victim caught the sickness from their house cat. At least 7 people are diagnosed with the Bubonic plague in the US per year, usually in western states. The bubonic plague is the least deadly of the three forms of plague so the victim should make a full recovery.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/markkortepeter/2024/02/20/bubonic-plague-found-in-oregon-an-infectious-disease-doctor-explains-the-risk/?sh=220abde726d3
1 like 0 dislike
by Novice (620 points)

This claim is true. In February of 2024, a case of the bubonic plague was reported in Oregon, specifically in Deschutes County. The Deschutes County Public Health services reported that an individual contracted the plague from their pet cat, and is now undergoing medical treatment according to Dr. Richard Fawcett who works as a County Health Officer. The plague has been known to be contracted by humans in Oregon according to CDC records from 1970-2020, with 19 reported cases throughout that period. Cases appeared to rise in 2020, and now have carried over to 2024. Although rare, it is possible to still contract the plague based on these CDC reports. These records are all reported by Government websites and resources with credibility on public health cases. 

https://www.cdc.gov/plague/maps/index.html

https://www.deschutescounty.gov/health/page/deschutes-county-confirms-case-human-plague-local-resident

https://apnews.com/us-news/plague-oregon-general-news-6d5a71b8a45e5e38ec321fd48fdb9576

True

Community Rules


Be respectful.

There is bound to be disagreement on a site about misinformation. Assume best intentions on everyone's part.

If you are new to factchecking, take some time to learn about it. "How to Factcheck" has some resources for getting started. Even if you disagree with these materials, they'll help you understand the language of this community better.

News Detective is for uncovering misinformation and rumors. This is not a general interest question-answer site for things someone could Google.

Posting

The title is the "main claim" that you're trying to factcheck.

Example:
Factcheck This: Birds don't exist

If possible, LINK TO to the place you saw the claim.

Answering

LINK TO YOUR EVIDENCE or otherwise explain the source ("I called this person, I found it in this book, etc.")

But don't just drop a link. Give an explanation, copy and paste the relevant information, etc.

News Detective is not responsible for anything anyone posts on the platform.
...