Health officials from two counties in Arizona, Navajo and Coconino, have issued a warning in which they announce everyone that fleas have tested positive for the bacteria (Yersinia pestic), which carries the bubonic plague.
More information on the plague
The bubonic plague is very dangerous and during Middle Ages, it was responsible for taking millions of lives. No reports of deaths or illness have been announced in Arizona so far. The ABC news presented a segment in which the Health Department of the Navajo County urged citizens to be cautious and reduce their risk of exposure.
How to take precautions
Humans usually contact the plague through flea bites or handling rodents or other animals carrying the bacteria. Bodily fluids can also transmit the disease.
For those who want to avoid areas in which the plague has been found, in the U.S, the bubonic plague is usually found in the West Coast and southwestern territory. This is due to cool summers and wet winters.
There is a need for people to be cautious and prevent getting in contact with rodents or rabbits.
If someone gets bitten by a flea in that U.S area there are several symptoms to look out for. These symptoms include fever, weakness, headaches, and chills, swollen and buboes (lymph nodes which can be painful).
The plague explained by experts
Dr. Amesh Adalja, who is a senior associate at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and a public health committee member of the Infectious Disease Society of America, explains that the western territory of the U.S has suffered plagues for more than a century. He does mention that plague incidents are minimal nowadays and according to the U.S Centers for Disease and Prevention only about seven humans per year are diagnosed with an illness caused by a plague.
