Overview
- The domestic cat in Evergreen tested positive for Yersinia pestis and died on August 7, prompting a local health alert.
- No new human cases have emerged after a July fatality in Arizona, where a resident died at Flagstaff Medical Center on the day of admission.
- Plague spreads via infected flea bites or direct animal contact and can present in bubonic, septicemic or pneumonic forms if untreated.
- CDC data show an average of seven human plague cases annually in rural Western U.S. regions, underscoring the disease’s rarity yet potential severity.
- Officials urge residents to avoid wild or sick animals, keep pets leashed, use vet-recommended flea control and seek prompt medical or veterinary care for symptoms.