A New Mexico man has died of bubonic plague, the disease known for killing millions of Europeans — who called it the “Black Death” — during the Middle Ages.
The case marks the second death in the state from the Medieval disease since 2020, Knewz.com has learned.
The unidentified man had recently been hospitalized with the plague, which is carried by rodents and generally spreads to humans through the bites of infected fleas, the New Mexico Department of Health said on Friday, March 8.
“This tragic incident serves as a clear reminder of the threat posed by this ancient disease and emphasizes the need for heightened community awareness and proactive measures to prevent its spread,” State Public Health Veterinarian Erin Phipps said.
Health officials warned that pets, including dogs and cats, that are allowed to “roam and hunt” may bring infected fleas home, putting humans at risk.
The agency said it was conducting an environmental assessment to determine the threat level to the community.
Symptoms of plague in humans include sudden fever, chills, headache and weakness, along with painful swelling of the lymph node in the groin, armpit or neck areas. Plague symptoms in cats and dogs include fever, lethargy and loss of appetite, with possible swelling of the lymph node under the jaw.
Prevention does not involve a vaccine and people are encouraged to reduce their exposure to rodents that may be infected.
New Mexico health officials advised residents to prevent their pets from roaming or hunting; consider a flea control product; and clean up wood, brush, and compost piles or move them away from the home to keep rodents away.
The agency also warned people to swiftly seek treatment for symptoms in pet or humans. Prompt diagnosis and antibiotics can greatly reduce risk of death from plague.
The last human case of plague in the state was in Torrance County in 2021. In 2020, there were four cases: two in Torrance County, one in Santa Fe County and one in Rio Arriba County.
Most human cases in the United States occur in two regions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): part of the West Coast that includes California, Oregon and far western Nevada, and an area of the Southwest concentrated between northern New Mexico, northern Arizona and southern Colorado.
New Mexico has seen by far the highest rate of the disease in the country since 1970 with 253 cases, and Colorado has had the second-highest rate with 66 cases since 1970.
Plague was first brought to the U.S. in 1900 by rat-infested steamships that came mostly from Asia, and the last urban plague epidemic in the country occurred in Los Angeles from 1924 to 1925, according to the CDC.
Plague epidemics have also occurred in Africa, Asia and South America, and since the 1990s, most human cases have occurred in Africa.
Between the years 1347 and 1351, the Black Death pandemic killed more people than any other known disease or war up until that time and is estimated to have wiped out between 30 and 60% of Europe’s population, according to Britannica.
TMX contributed to this report.
The post ‘Black Death’: New Mexico Man Dies From Medieval Disease That Killed Millions; Health Officials Warn of Potential Spread appeared first on Knewz.
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Author: Marissa Papanek
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