Panicked fears over a potentially deadly bubonic plague case near Fresno recently erupted — but it turns out the victim was just suffering from a run-of-the-mill flea bite.
The internet was sent into a frenzy over now-deleted posts about a young girl contracting the Black Death from a nasty bite at Bass Lake in the Sierra National Forest of Madera County.
County health officials Tuesday finally busted the myth surrounding the Yersinia pestis scare, saying they haven’t seen a single case of the ancient killer.
“Madera County Department of Public Health has not identified any confirmed cases,” the department told YourCentralValley.com, although insisting they also are keeping an eye on the situation.
That’s good news for organizers of the stunning lake’s 125th “Birthday Glow Paddle” event planned for Aug. 15.
Event organizers have been inviting fans to “toast this lake we love” and watch for falling stars at the celebration.
The bash kicks off at Miller’s Dock at 8 p.m., where swimmers and paddlers will light up the night with glow sticks instead of hospital monitors.
Renowned for its warm summer waters and stunning alpine backdrop, Bass Lake functions as a major recreational hub just outside the southern entrance of Yosemite National Park.

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