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.