Arizona Reports First Pneumonic Plague Death Since 2007
A Northern Arizona resident has died after contracting pneumonic plague, health officials confirmed on July 11, 2025. The individual, treated at Flagstaff Medical Center, succumbed to the disease despite aggressive emergency care.
Officials from Northern Arizona Healthcare (NAH) and Coconino County Health and Human Services described the diagnosis as a “presumptive case of Yersinia pestis,” the bacteria that causes plague.
This marks the first death from pneumonic plague in the county since 2007.
Yersinia pestis: What Is It?
The bacteria that causes the plague, Yersinia pestis, is notorious for inflicting the Black Death in medieval Europe. In several regions of the western United States, Africa, and Asia, plague is still a public health risk, despite its rarity today.
In the United States, plague usually occurs seven times a year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prompt antibiotic treatment usually leads to recovery, but delayed medication can be fatal, especially in pneumonic patients.
Forms of Plague and Symptoms
The CDC recognizes three major forms of plague:
- Bubonic Plague: Swollen, painful lymph nodes, fever, chills, and weakness. Often caused by infected flea bites.
- Septicemic Plague: Fever, abdominal pain, shock, and tissue death, often causing skin to turn black.
- Pneumonic Plague: Most serious form; can be transmitted person-to-person via airborne droplets. Symptoms include pneumonia, chest pain, bloody cough, and rapid breathing issues.
The recent Arizona patient died from pneumonic plague, which has an incubation period as short as one day.
How Is Plague Contracted?
Humans can catch the plague through:
- Bites from infected fleas
- Direct contact with infected animals
- Inhalation of droplets from an infected person or animal (in the case of pneumonic plague)
Past outbreaks have been linked to prairie dogs and rodents, which are highly susceptible but not long-term carriers.
Plague in U.S. History
Plague first reached the U.S. in 1900, arriving via rat-infested steamships. The last major outbreak occurred in Los Angeles (1924–1925). It then moved into rural rodent populations, primarily in the western states.
In 1996, two out of five U.S. plague cases were fatal and undiagnosed until after death—one linked to flea bites from a prairie dog colony in Navajo County, AZ.
How to Keep Yourself Safe
To reduce your risk:
- Steer clear of wild animals and rodents.
- Use pet flea control recommended by a veterinarian.
- Clear the area around your house of garbage, brush, and rubbish.
- Avoid camping close to rat holes.
Usually, symptoms start to show up 1–8 days following exposure. Urgent treatment should be sought by anybody with a fever, chest discomfort, or bloody cough.
Source: USA Today
