First Human Case Of Plague In Colorado Since 2015 Reported

The first human case of plague in Colorado since 2015 has been confirmed, the Denver Post reported.

The afflicted person, who lives in southwestern Colorado, was infected after exposure to sick squirrels earlier this summer, the news outlet reported.

They contracted septicemic plague, which doesn’t spread easily; no other cases were found and the person has since recovered, the Denver Post reported.

Plague is a bacterial disease that’s typically carried by fleas but also can spread through respiratory droplets. According to the Colorado Department of Health, the disease has been in the state since sometime in the 1940's. 

“While we see most plague activity during the summer, the disease can be found in rodents year-round and sometimes spills over into other wildlife species as well as domestic cats and dogs,” Dr. Jennifer House, state public health veterinarian for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, told the news outlet.

Since 2005, there have been 21 human cases of the plague in Colorado.

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