Plague makes a chilling return as patient drops dead within 24 hours
Centuries ago, the 'Black Death' ravaged Europe, claiming the lives of tens of millions of people and cutting the overall population potentially by as much as half.
Now, a case of the pneumonic plague - the most deadly kind of the disease - has been seen in the US, with a patient in Arizona turning up at hospital with symptoms of the fatal disease and dying that same day.
Few details have been released about the patient, out of respect for their grieving relatives, but the patient's symptoms were said to be very serious when they were rushed to the Flagstaff Medical Center for treatment.
After an autopsy was conducted it was confirmed that Yersinia pestis - the bacteria that causes the plague - had been present in the individual, who tragically lost their life. It's the first recorded death from pneumonic plague death since 2007.
The pneumonic plague is the most rare form of the disease, and travels through airborne droplets between people, seriously impacting their lungs.
The bubonic plague is more common and spreads through infected fleas. This occurs either by people themselves being bitten by the fleas or coming in contact with an animal that has been bitten by one.
People sometimes get the pneumonic plague as a complication from untreated bubonic plague if it spreads to the lungs. Another kind of the illness - called the septicemic plague - sometimes occurs when bubonic plague spreads to the bloodstream, but it also can develop by itself.
The bubonic plague is known as the 'Black Death' because of one particularly gruesome symptom: it causes swollen lymph nodes, and the tissue around these 'buboes' can sometimes die, turning black.
Medicine has come a long way since the plague ravaged Europe in the 1300s, and the plague can be treated with antibiotics, but it still poses a serious health threat and potential to cause a pandemic.
Pneumonic plague in particular needs to be treated straight away, or it can claim lives incredibly quickly - with nearly all cases, reportedly 90 percent, ending with fatalities.
The tragic death of this patient in Arizona is the first confirmed to be caused by the plague since 2007 - and there has not been an outbreak in the UK since 1918, when one took place in Suffolk.
Risk to people in the UK is "very low" the Sun reports, and officials in Arizona have expressed similar sentiments about the public health risk there.
"Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the deceased," said Patrice Horstman, an official from Coconino County said, adding, "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."
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Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Plague makes a chilling return as patient drops dead within 24 hours
Just 24 hours after being admitted to hospital with symptoms of the pneumonic plague - a patient in Arizona tragically passed away from the terrifying illness, which was last seen in the UK in 1918 Centuries ago, the 'Black Death' ravaged Europe, claiming the lives of tens of millions of people and cutting the overall population potentially by as much as half. Now, a case of the pneumonic plague - the most deadly kind of the disease - has been seen in the US, with a patient in Arizona turning up at hospital with symptoms of the fatal disease and dying that same day. Few details have been released about the patient, out of respect for their grieving relatives, but the patient's symptoms were said to be very serious when they were rushed to the Flagstaff Medical Center for treatment. After an autopsy was conducted it was confirmed that Yersinia pestis - the bacteria that causes the plague - had been present in the individual, who tragically lost their life. It's the first recorded death from pneumonic plague death since 2007. The pneumonic plague is the most rare form of the disease, and travels through airborne droplets between people, seriously impacting their lungs. The bubonic plague is more common and spreads through infected fleas. This occurs either by people themselves being bitten by the fleas or coming in contact with an animal that has been bitten by one. People sometimes get the pneumonic plague as a complication from untreated bubonic plague if it spreads to the lungs. Another kind of the illness - called the septicemic plague - sometimes occurs when bubonic plague spreads to the bloodstream, but it also can develop by itself. The bubonic plague is known as the 'Black Death' because of one particularly gruesome symptom: it causes swollen lymph nodes, and the tissue around these 'buboes' can sometimes die, turning black. Medicine has come a long way since the plague ravaged Europe in the 1300s, and the plague can be treated with antibiotics, but it still poses a serious health threat and potential to cause a pandemic. Pneumonic plague in particular needs to be treated straight away, or it can claim lives incredibly quickly - with nearly all cases, reportedly 90 percent, ending with fatalities. The tragic death of this patient in Arizona is the first confirmed to be caused by the plague since 2007 - and there has not been an outbreak in the UK since 1918, when one took place in Suffolk. Risk to people in the UK is "very low" the Sun reports, and officials in Arizona have expressed similar sentiments about the public health risk there. "Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the deceased," said Patrice Horstman, an official from Coconino County said, adding, "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."
The Guardian
5 days ago
- The Guardian
Arizona resident dies from pneumonic plague, health officials say
A person has died from pneumonic plague in Coconino county, Arizona, the first such death there since 2007 – though officials are saying the death is unrelated to a recent die-off of prairie dogs in the area that may also be plague-related. Health officials in Coconino county, which incorporates part of the Grand Canyon national park and lies north of Flagstaff, confirmed the death on 11 July. Pneumonic plague, a severe lung infection, is rare in humans, with only about seven cases reported annually in the US. Unlike bubonic plague, which killed millions in medieval Europe, it can be spread through airborne droplets. While both are caused by the Yersinia pestis bacterium, bubonic plague is transmitted through rodent flea bites or contact with contaminated material – and it primarily affects the lymph nodes while pneumonic plague causes pneumonia and respiratory symptoms. Authorities said the person, whose age, name and gender have not been released, had entered the Flagstaff Medical Center emergency department and died on the same day. Hospital operator Northern Arizona Healthcare said in a statement that 'despite appropriate initial management and attempts to provide life-saving resuscitation, the patient did not recover'. The death of the Coconino county resident marks the first recorded pneumonic plague death in the county in 18 years but not the most recent human plague case in Arizona – the state has recorded seven cases of plague since 2006. The 2007 death reportedly occurred after the person involved had contact with a dead animal infected with plague. Nationally, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says about seven human cases of plague are reported annually across the country, but only 15 plague deaths have been recorded in a 23-year period beginning in 2000. Most cases have been seen in rural areas in the west. Typically, the CDC says, Yersinia pestis cycles naturally among wild rodents. And while most people contract the disease though flea bites, they can become infected through exposure to sick pets, especially cats. The plague death comes as officials in the county are investigating a sudden die-off of prairie dogs north-east of Flagstaff that may be caused by plague. County officials have said they do not think the human plague death and the prairie dog mortalities are related. But they also issued guidelines about how to avoid contracting the plague, including avoiding contact with wild animals, touching sick or dead animals, camping near rodent burrows, or sleeping directly on the ground. They advise using insect repellent and tucking the cuffs of your trouser leg into your socks. Coconino county health officials said the risk of human-to-human transmission of pneumonic plague is low. The last such transmission was in Los Angeles in 1924, according to National Institutes of Health (NIH) data. Still, the symptoms of the Black Death – named for black spots that appeared on infected bodies – remain present. US health officials say plague symptoms typically appear within eight days after exposure and may include fever, chills, headache, weakness and muscle pain, and some may develop swollen lymph nodes (called 'buboes'), most commonly in the groin, armpits or limbs. But the timing of the human plague death, and the prairie dog die-off, is raising concerns. Plague is one of many diseases endemic to the south-western US, including West Nile virus, hantavirus and rabies. Trish Lees, communications manager for Coconino county, told the Arizona Republic the number of prairie dogs that have died was unknown.
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Patient dies from the ‘Black Death' plague less than 24 hours after symptoms first emerged
Unlike the more common bubonic type, pneumonic plague infects the lungs and spreads from person to person via airborne droplets PLAGUE ALERT Patient dies from the 'Black Death' plague less than 24 hours after symptoms first emerged Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A PERSON has died from plague just 24-hours after they showed up at hospital with symptoms, health officals have said. The victim was rushed to Flagstaff Medical Center in Arizona, US, showing severe symptoms, and died the same day, an email seen by local media suggests. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 An unidentified person has died from the plague in the US An autopsy later confirmed the presence of Yersinia pestis, the bacteria that causes plague. Officials said the individual had pneumonic plague, the rarest and most dangerous form of the disease. Unlike the more common bubonic type, pneumonic plague infects the lungs and spreads from person to person via airborne droplets. Without urgent treatment, it can kill within just 24 hours, the World Health Organisation (WHO) warns. No further details about the patient have been released. It is the first confirmed plague death in Coconino County, in northern Arizona, since 2007, when a case was linked to contact with a dead animal carrying the infection. The Coconino County government said the risk to the public of exposure remains low. "Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the deceased," Patrice Horstman from the county's Board of Supervisors Chair, said in a statement. "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." The Black Death The plague is infamously responsible for the 14th-century Black Death that wiped out half of Europe. It remains on both the WHO and UK Health Security Agency's (UKHSA) priority pathogen lists due to its potential to cause a pandemic. Though now rare and treatable with antibiotics, plague can still be deadly. Pneumonic cases in particular are fatal in up to 90 per cent of patients if left untreated. There are several forms of plague. Bubonic plague, the most common form, is usually spread through the bite of infected fleas. 2 The disease can cause tissue to turn black and die Credit: Wikipedia The disease can be transmitted to humans either by flea bites or through direct contact with infected animals, including pet dogs and cats. The main symptoms include swollen lymph nodes, usually in the neck, groin, thighs, or armpits. These swollen nodes, called buboes, can cause surrounding tissue to turn black and die, a symptom believed to have inspired the name "Black Death." Septicemic plague occurs when the infection spreads to the bloodstream. It can develop on its own or as a complication of bubonic plague, causing symptoms like fever, abdominal pain, shock, and bleeding into the skin and organs. Pneumonic plague, the most severe form, infects the lungs and can spread rapidly between humans through airborne droplets. It often starts as bubonic or septicemic plague that has spread to the lungs if left untreated. Symptoms include fever, cough, difficulty breathing, and sometimes coughing up blood. Pneumonic plague requires immediate medical attention. Last week, officials from the Coconino County Health Department reported several prairie dog deaths northeast of Flagstaff, which can be a sign of the disease. However, health officials have since confirmed that the recent human plague death is not connected to the prairie dog die-off. Risk to Brits is 'very low' The WHO estimates between 1,000 and 2,000 cases occur globally each year. On average, seven human plague cases are reported in the US each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Meanwhile, plague is no longer found in the UK, and the risk of imported cases is considered 'very low,' according to government guidance. However, Covid jab scientists are developing a Black Death vaccine over fears the disease could re-emerge and kill millions. The team behind the Oxford AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine said they had made progress on an injection that could prevent bubonic plague from developing The last significant British outbreak occurred in Suffolk in 1918, though a few isolated cases have been suspected since. Recent infections have been reported in countries including the US, Peru, China, Bolivia, Uganda, Tanzania, and Russia.
