Pneumonic plague death confirmed in Coconino County

Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) of­ficials received confir­matory test results to­day, July 11, 2025, and have confirmed that a Coconino County resident has died from pneumonic plague, a severe lung infection caused by the Yersinia pestis bacterium. The death is not related to a recent report of a prairie dog die-off in the Townsend Winona area, northeast of Flag­staff. This is the first recorded death from Pneumonic plague in Coconino County since 2007 when an individ­ual had an interaction with a dead animal in­fected with the disease.

“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the deceased,” said Coconino County Board of Supervisors Chair Patrice Horst­man. “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.”

Plague is rare in humans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Preven­tion there are an av­erage of seven human plague cases reported each year in the United States. The risk to the public of exposure to plague remains low.

The bacterium that causes plague, Yer­sinia pestis, can be transmitted to animals through bites from infected fleas. The disease can be trans­mitted to humans from the bite of an infected flea or through con­tact with an infected animal. According to health officials, the risk of human-to-human transmission is very low. The last reported occurrence of human-to-human transmis­sion was reported in 1924, according to the National Institutes of Health and is typically spread through respi­ratory droplets.

Due to the endemic nature of plague in the southwest United States, CCHHS main­tains a surveillance system for the disease. CCHHS also conducts surveillance for other endemic diseases, in­cluding West Nile vi­rus, hantavirus and ra­bies, to rapidly detect disease, understand its spread and implement control measures to protect the public.

To prevent exposure to plague, CCHHS recommends the fol­lowing:

• Avoid contact with wild animals. Never feed or handle wild ro­dents

and avoid areas where they are known to live. Do not touch sick or dead animals.

• Avoid fleas. Use an insect repellent con­taining 20-30 percent DEET and tuck pant cuffs into your socks to help prevent flea bites.

• Use veterinarian-ap­proved flea treatments on pets, keep them on a leash and keep them out of areas known to be inhabited by wild rodents.

• Report prairie dog die-offs. Prairie dogs are highly suscep­tible to plague but are not considered a long-term reservoir of the disease. They typically die off quickly after infection, mak­ing them an indicator species for plague pres­ence. Active prairie dog colonies are not harmful but a sudden reduction/die-off in prairie dog colonies may indicate the pres­ence of disease. Those noticing a sudden die-off of rodents or rab­bits within Coconino County are urged to contact CCHHS Ani­mal Services at 928-679-8756 or Environ­mental Health at 928- 679-8760.

• Prevent rodent in­festations by remov­ing brush, rock piles, trash and lumber from around homes and outbuildings. Store food in rodent-proof containers.

• Do not camp next to rodent burrows and avoid sleeping directly on the ground.

• Seek veterinary care for sick pets. If your pet shows symptoms such as a high fever or swollen lymph nodes, is lethargic, has a loss of appetite or develops a cough or eye drain­age, contact a veteri­narian immediately. It is recommended to call before visiting the veterinarian’s office for instructions to help limit exposure.

• Be aware that cats are highly susceptible to plague and while they can get sick from a variety of illnesses, a sick cat (especially one allowed to run at large outside) should receive care by a veterinarian for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Symptoms of plague in humans typically appear within one to eight days after expo­sure and may include fever, chills, headache, weakness and muscle pain. Some individu­als may also develop swollen lymph nodes (called “buboes”), most commonly in the groin, armpits or limbs. The disease can become septicemic (spread­ing throughout the bloodstream) and/or pneumonic (affecting the lungs) but is cur­able with antibiotic therapy if diagnosed and treated early.

Individuals with symptoms consistent with plague should contact a physician im­mediately and should provide their health­care provider with in­formation about possi­ble exposure to rodents or fleas. Call ahead to your healthcare pro­vider or healthcare fa­cility to limit exposure to others. Treatment of plague with antibiotics is very effective.

More information at cdc.gov/plague