Overview

• An unidentified Coconino County resident died within 24 hours of symptom onset, marking the first pneumonic plague fatality there in 18 years.
• Local health authorities confirmed the case tested positive for Yersinia pestis and was not linked to a recent prairie dog die-off near Flagstaff.
• The patient’s rapid decline at Flagstaff Medical Center underscores how quickly pneumonic plague can become fatal without immediate intervention.
• Coconino County Health and Human Services and the Arizona Department of Health Services have reassured the public that prompt antibiotic treatment and ongoing wildlife surveillance keep overall exposure risk low.
• The US records an average of seven plague cases each year—mostly in rural Western states—reflecting the endemic cycle of Yersinia pestis among wild rodents and their fleas.