A case of the bubonic plague was confirmed in an individual in Colorado’s Pueblo County, officials said on Tuesday. On Tuesday, the Pueblo County Department of Public Health said that it “confirmed a human case” in a resident of the county, adding that it will continue “to investigate a potential source and asks the public to take the precautions” to limit the spread of the bacterial infection. Last week, the county agency reported a suspected case of the plague after preliminary test results were returned.
The source of the infection is still being investigated, they said in the previous news release. The U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that the plague circulates via fleas, occurs in wild rodents, and rarely spreads to people. Infected fleas that bite people are the primary vectors of the plague, while the bacteria can also be transmitted by touching infected animals or inhaling droplets from the cough of an infected individual or an animal. Anyone who develops symptoms of the plague is advised to seek immediate medical attention, officials say.
“Plague can be treated successfully with antibiotics, but an infected person must be treated promptly to avoid serious complications or death,” Alicia Solis, a program manager at the Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment, said in last week’s news release. The agency advised that locals try to “protect themselves and their pets from plague,” including removing places where ro.
