A person in Arizona has died from pneumonic plague less than 24 hours after first showing symptoms, local health officials confirmed. The patient was admitted to Flagstaff Medical Center with severe signs of illness and died the same day.
Pneumonic Plague Confirmed
An autopsy identified Yersinia pestis, the bacteria that causes plague. Officials specified that the victim had pneumonic plague, the deadliest and rarest form. Unlike the more common bubonic plague, this form infects the lungs and can spread between people through airborne droplets. Without rapid treatment, it is often fatal within a day, according to the World Health Organization.
First Plague Death in County Since 2007
This is the first confirmed plague death in Coconino County since 2007, when an infection was traced to contact with a dead animal. Authorities reassured the public that the risk of further exposure remains low.
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the deceased,” said Patrice Horstman, chair of the county’s Board of Supervisors.
For more public health updates and the pneumonic plague, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.