Overview

• The unnamed victim developed severe symptoms and died less than 24 hours after being admitted to Flagstaff Medical Center
• Coconino County teams are collecting fleas from rodent burrows and monitoring local prairie dog colonies for Yersinia pestis
• Plague remains rare in the U.S., averaging seven cases per year, primarily in rural Western states including Arizona
• Antibiotics administered within 24 hours of symptom onset boost survival rates for bubonic plague above 90 percent
• Officials urge residents to report sick or dead rodents, use flea-control products on pets and seek immediate care for fever or swollen lymph nodes