A resident of northern Arizona died of the pneumonia epidemic, health officials said Friday.
Federal health officials say the plague is rare for humans.
The deaths in Coconino County, including Flagstaff, were the first recorded death from the pneumonia department since 2007, local officials said. Details including the identification of the victim were not released.
The plague is a bacterial infection known to kill tens of millions of people in 14th century Europe. Today it is easily treated with antibiotics.
Each other’s plague is the most common form of bacterial infection, spreading naturally among rodents such as prairie dogs and rats.
There are two other forms. It is a plague of sepsis that spreads throughout the body, and pneumonia that infects the lungs.
Pneumonia epidemic has the deadliest and easiest spread.
Bacteria are transmitted through the bites of infected fleas that can spread between rodents, pets and humans.
You can also obtain plague by contacting infected body fluids. Health experts recommend that you take special care when dealing with dead or sick animals.
Most often, it occurs in rural areas of northern New Mexico, northern Arizona, southern Colorado, southern California, southern Oregon and western Nevada, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
