Health officials in Central Oregon have confirmed a case of human bubonic plague and said the individual was likely infected by a domestic house cat.

The unidentified infected person lives in Deschutes County and marks the state’s first human case in just over eight years, Deschutes County Health Services officials announced in a news release.

Deschutes County is just under 200 miles southeast of Portland, the state’s largest city.

“All close contacts of the resident and their pet have been contacted and provided medication to prevent illness,” Deschutes County Health Services Officer Dr. Richard Fawcett wrote the announcement released Wednesday.

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The disease is spread through the air and contaminated food and the individual was likely infected by a pet cat that had developed symptoms, officials said.

This case was identified and the person was treated by doctors while “in the earlier stages of the disease, posing little risk to the community,” officials said.

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