Latest news with #CoconinoCountyHealthandHumanServices
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
What is bubonic plague? History, causes, symptoms as Arizona's Coconino County reports first ‘Black Death' since 2007
Coconino County health officials reported on July 11 that a person in northern Arizona died from bubonic (pneumonic) plague. A northern Arizona resident dies from pneumonic plague, marking the first case in Coconino County in 16 years.(Representative image/Unsplash) According to the officials, the incident has nothing to do with a recent prairie dog die-off in the region. Authorities from Coconino County Health and Human Services stated in a statement that the person's death is the first pneumonic plague mortality in the county since 2007. The patient suffered from Yersinia pestis, the plague-causing bacteria, according to Northern Arizona Healthcare, which was determined by the Arizona Department of Health Services through rapid diagnostic testing. Also Read: Trump's frightening 7-word to Melania revealed by lip leader as they visit flood-stricken Texas; 'Look at how…' Bubonic plague history Historically, the plague has been linked to Europe's Middle Ages, when it was widespread and caused one of the bloodiest outbreaks in the continent's history. It is also called 'The Black Death.' According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, there have been an average of seven cases of bubonic plague reported every year since 2000, making instances of the disease exceedingly uncommon in the US. Deaths from the plague are much less common; and the last one occurred in the US in 2021. The majority of documented cases, however, originate from the southwestern states of Arizona, New Mexico, southern Colorado, Nevada, California, and southern Oregon. Bubonic plague: Causes and symptoms The CDC report stated that fleas and wild rodents are the carriers of the bacteria responsible for the plague, which is typically contracted by coming in contact with an infected animal or by being bitten by an infected rodent flea. Fever, headaches, chills, weakness, and one or more swollen, sore lymph nodes are typical symptoms, as per the CDC. Bubonic plague: Prevention If detected and treated early, the illness can be managed with appropriate antibiotic therapy and can become pneumonic (affecting the lungs) or septicemic (spreading throughout the bloodstream), stated health officials. In a bid to prevent exposure to plague, one should avoid contact with wild animals and fleas and take sick pets to the clinic.
Economic Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Economic Times
After 1,288 measles cases, plague detected in US. Check symptoms and what you should do?
The person tested positive for Yersinia pestis, which is the bacteria that causes the Plague At least one person has died in Arizona as a result of Plague, reports Fox 10. The person died on the same day they showed up at the Flagstaff Medical Center with symptoms. The person tested positive for Yersinia pestis, which is the bacteria that causes the Plague. Also, earlier this week, Coconino County Health department officials reported that prairie dogs are dying in northern Arizona and officials are concerned the cause could be the plague. Coconino County Health and Human Services recently received a report of a prairie dog die-off on private land northeast of Flagstaff. ALSO READ: Free Slurpee Day 2025: How to grab a free Slurpee on July 11 at 7-11 Before before they're gone According to the World Health Organization, plague is caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis, a zoonotic bacteria usually found in small mammals and their fleas. Plague is transmitted between animals and humans by the bite of infected fleas, direct contact with infected tissues, and inhalation of infected respiratory can be a very severe disease in people, with a case-fatality ratio of 30% to 60% for the bubonic type, and is always fatal for the pneumonic kind when left untreated, the WHO says. Antibiotic treatment is effective against plague bacteria, so early diagnosis and early treatment can save lives. Currently, the three most endemic countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, and Peru. ALSO READ: White House under fire for bizarre 'Superman Trump' image, Internet says 'delete this, it's cringe' According to the Cleveland Clinic, the Plague usually spreads through bites from fleas that previously bit an infected animal. The website notes there are three types of plagues: Bubonic, Septicemic, and Pneumonic. They are each named for the part of the body that gets a Yersinia pestis infection."While it still exists, plague is extremely rare now. Worldwide, 1,000 to 2,000 people are diagnosed with plague every year. Only about seven cases are reported in the U.S. each year," read a portion of Cleveland Clinic's website. Some of the common symptoms of plague are: fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, fatigue and dizziness. A number of animals carry and spread the plague, including: rodents, including rats, mice, prairie dogs, ground squirrels, gerbils, and guinea pigs, other small mammals, pet dogs and pet cats, deer and camels."You need to get treated immediately if you have plague. While antibiotics work well, you have the best chance of getting better if you start taking them within 24 hours of noticing symptoms," read a portion of Cleveland Clinic's website. ALSO READ: Trump's State department firing begins: Over 1,300 jobs slashed in latest layoff wave This is not the first time a Plague case has been identified in Northern Arizona. In 1996, there were five identified cases in the Four Corners region of Arizona and Colorado, and an 18-year-old from Flagstaff died during that outbreak. In 2007, there was one confirmed case, and in 2014 and 2015, flea in Flagstaff tested positive for comes at a time when the United States has reported 1,288 measles cases this year — the highest number in 33 years, according to the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The last time the US saw more measles cases was in 1992, eight years before the disease was declared eliminated in the country."We're seeing a lot more measles transmission than we are used to," says Caitlin Rivers. She's the director of the Center for Outbreak Response Innovation at Johns Hopkins University, which has its own measles dashboard. "Measles is one of the most infectious diseases known to humans. And more importantly, it's preventable. And so we really hate to see this resurgence of a preventable virus," Rivers says.
Metro
2 days ago
- Health
- Metro
First bubonic plague death confirmed in the US since 2007
A bubonic plague death has been confirmed in the US for the first time in eight years. The victim, of Coconino County, showed up at the Flagstaff Medical Center and died on the same day, said Northern Arizona Healthcare. Despite 'attempts to provide life-saving resuscitation', the patient did not recover. It is the first recorded Black Death fatality in the county since 2007. The victim interacted with a dead animal infected with the pneumonic plague, which causes severe lung infection, according to Coconino County Health and Human Services. 'Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the deceased,' stated county Board of Supervisors chair Patrice Hortsman. 'We are keeping them in our thoughts during thoughts during this difficult time.' No more information on the death will be released to respect the family. The agency did say that the death is not linked to a recent report of a prairie dog die-off in Townsend Winona, which is northeast of Flagstaff, just days earlier. Also known as Yersinia pestis, the plague is a medieval disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans through infected flea bites. Bubonic plague cases in humans are rare. An average of seven cases are reported annually in the US and the risk of exposure to the disease is low, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There is an especially low risk of human-to-human transmission through respiratory droplets, with the last such incident recorded in 1921, according to the National Institutes of Health. More Trending The disease was responsible for up to 50million deaths from 1346 to 1353. County health officials are advising that people protect themselves from exposure to the disease by avoiding contact with wild animals and fleas and by reporting prairie dog die-offs. They should also remove trash and brush that could attract rodents, and avoid camping near rodent burrows. Humans infected with the bubonic plague can feel symptoms one to eight days after being exposed. They include swollen lymph nodes in the armpits, limbs and groin. A human bubonic plague case was confirmed in Colorado a year ago, and the patient recovered. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Lorry cab plunges off bridge and leaves driver missing MORE: Trump calls reporter 'evil' for asking if Texas flood warnings went out in time MORE: Are millions of people actually faking being sick?
The Hill
5 days ago
- Health
- The Hill
Hantavirus, rabies exposures confirmed at Grand Canyon National Park
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — An employee at Grand Canyon National Park was exposed to hantavirus, and a separate case of exposure to rabies in the park has also been confirmed. A Coconino County health official confirmed both reports to Nexstar's KLAS. While hantavirus can be fatal, it's also rare. The virus is spread primarily by deer mice, according to Eve Wolters, deputy director for Coconino County Health and Human Services. Deer mice are part of the environment at Grand Canyon National Park. Authorities did not say how the Grand Canyon employee may have been exposed. Hantavirus, which does not spread between people, has no specific cure or treatment. Early medical attention can, however, increase the chance of survival. An infection can rapidly progress and become life-threatening. Earlier this year, an autopsy confirmed that Betsy Arakawa, the wife of actor Gene Hackman, died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that from 1993 to 2022, New Mexico had the highest concentration of hantavirus cases in the U.S., followed by Colorado, Arizona, California, and Washington. About 38% of cases are fatal, according to the CDC. Earlier this year, three people in the remote California town of Mammoth Lakes died of hantavirus. Dr. Tom Boo, the county's public health officer, said it was not initially believed that any of them 'engaged in activities typically associated with exposure, such as cleaning out poorly ventilated indoor areas or outbuildings with a lot of mouse waste.' Boo said in April that deer mice numbers are believed to be high this year in the Mammoth Lakes area, noting that 'an increase in indoor mice elevates the risk of Hantavirus exposure.' Nevada officials advise taking care when cleaning out areas such as sheds, barns, trailers, garages, and cabins where deer mice have nested or left droppings. Eve Wolters, deputy director for Coconino County Health and Human Services, said rabies cases are much more common than hantavirus, and bats are a primary carrier. 'There are things you can do to protect yourself. Be aware of what you're coming into contact with and take appropriate precautions,' she said. 'People want to sleep out under the stars,' Wolters said. And while that's easy to understand at a place like the Grand Canyon, a tent is safer. While you're sleeping, you just don't know what might be exploring your face, she said. The recent report at the Grand Canyon involved a bat collected along the Colorado River near Kanab Creek Canyon. The bat tested positive for rabies, according to the National Park Service. Wolters said the person exposed to the bat had recovered after treatment known as Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP).
