A case of bubonic plague has been diagnosed in the U.S. Here's what Canadians should know

Once known as a harbinger of death that caused widespread outbreaks, the plague has become an infectious disease that can be treated with antibiotics if diagnosed early.

Once known as a harbinger of death that caused widespread outbreaks, the plague has become an infectious disease that can be treated with antibiotics if diagnosed early.

In a recent U.S. case, a sick pet cat was believed to be the source of bubonic plague – the most common form of the plague – in Oregon this week.

Although public health officials believe people in the community are not at risk, the infected resident in Oregon, the cat and the resident's close contacts were treated with medication, The Associated Press reported. The cat died.

The plague is a bacterial infection that affects about 20 countries around the world, said Isaac Bogoch, a Toronto-based infectious disease specialist.

Bogoch said there's an "extremely low risk" of contracting the plague in Canada.

"When someone mentioned the plague you think back to the 1300s where this infection killed a third of Europe, but of course it's not doing that these days," he said in a Zoom interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "There are periodic outbreaks from time to time in certain parts of the world. ... It might be forgotten but it's not gone."

More than 50 million people died from the plague, known as the "Black Death," in Asia, Africa and Europe during the 14th century.