Arizona resident dies from plague, health officials say

A resident of Arizona has died from pneumonic plague, health officials confirmed on Friday.

This was the first recorded death from the disease in the county since 2007, Coconino County Health and Human Services reported. In that case, a person had an interaction with a dead animal infected with the disease.

Plague, known as the “Black Death” in the 14th century, killed up to half of Europe’s population. It is now rare in humans and can be treated with antibiotics.

An average of seven human plague cases are reported each year in the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

Coconino County government said the risk to the public of exposure remains low.

“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the deceased,” Coconino County Board of Supervisors Chair Patrice Horstman said in a statement. “We are keeping them in our thoughts during this difficult time. Out of respect for the family, no additional information about the death will be released.”

Pneumonic plague is a severe lung infection caused by the Yersinia pestis bacterium.

There are different forms of plague, such as bubonic plague, which is the most common and is caused by the bite of an infected flea. Pneumonic plague, which spreads to the lungs from other untreated forms of plague, is the most serious and is usually rare.

Symptoms of the bubonic plague in humans typically appear within two to eight days after exposure and may include fever, chills, headache, weakness, and swollen lymph nodes.

Plague is no longer found in the UK and the chance of it occurring in a person returning to the country is “very low”, the government says.

Prevention measures include using a DEET-based insect repellent to protect against flea bites, avoiding contact with dead animals, infected tissues or materials, and avoiding close contact with symptomatic patients and crowded areas where cases have been recently reported.