Daijiworld Media Network – Arizona

Arizona, Jul 12: A resident of northern Arizona has died from pneumonic plague — the first fatality from the rare and deadly infection in the region since 2007, according to health officials.

The unidentified patient had reported to the Flagstaff Medical Center Emergency Department seeking urgent care but tragically passed away the same day despite doctors’ efforts. Lab tests confirmed on Friday that the cause of death was pneumonic plague, said Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS).

Pneumonic plague is a severe and often fatal lung infection caused by the Yersinia pestis bacterium. The disease can be transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected flea or through direct contact with an infected animal. Unlike other forms of plague, the pneumonic variant is the only one that can spread through airborne droplets from an infected person or animal.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), symptoms include high fever, severe pneumonia, chest pain, coughing up blood, and overall weakness. It can develop rapidly and is considered the most dangerous form of the plague.

Despite its grim history, the plague is now rare in humans. The CDC reports an average of only seven cases in the United States annually. Human-to-human transmission hasn’t been reported since 1924, making this latest incident especially concerning to local authorities.

Officials are urging the public to remain calm but cautious. They advise avoiding contact with wild rodents, using flea control for pets, and reporting any sudden illness in animals to veterinary professionals.

The case has sparked renewed awareness around the presence of plague in the Southwest, a region where it occasionally re-emerges among wildlife populations.