Human plague case reported in New Mexico as…
The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) has reported the first case of human plague in 2025.
New Mexico health officers confirmed the infectious disease in a 43-year-old man from Valencia County who was hospitalized and has been discharged since the Aug. 25 press release.
The man just lately spent time tenting in Rio Arriba County, where officers imagine he could have been uncovered.
The plague is understood to “circulate among wildlife” throughout the western U.S., the release said.
Erin Phipps, state public health veterinarian for NMDOH, commented in a assertion that this case is a reminder of the “extreme risk that might be posed by this historical disease.
“It also emphasizes the need for heightened community awareness and for taking measures to prevent further spread.”
The last human plague case in New Mexico was recorded in a Lincoln County resident in 2024.
The plague is a bacterial disease of rodents, which is mostly transmitted to people through contaminated flea bites, according to NMDOH.
The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) has confirmed a 43-year-old man from Valencia County has contracted the human plague. Prostock-studio – stock.adobe.com
The disease can also be transmitted to people through direct contact with contaminated animals, including wildlife and even pets.
Symptoms can embody fever, chills, headache and weak spot and a “painful swelling of the lymph node” in areas of the physique just like the groin, armpit and neck.
In cats and canine, symptoms can embody fever, lethargy and loss of urge for food, in addition to lymph node swelling under the jaw.
The plague might be handled with antibiotic medicines, which might “greatly reduce” the fatality charge in people and pets after a “prompt diagnosis,” NMDOH reviews.
The best methods to forestall plague infection are avoiding sick or lifeless rodents and rabbits, cleansing up areas where rodents could nest and storing hay, wooden and compost piles distant from the home.
Using insect repellent while tenting, mountaineering or working outdoor can also help to forestall plague publicity.
The New Mexico man has the first reported case of the human plague in 2025. Raisa Nastukova – stock.adobe.com
For those with pets, NMDOH recommends utilizing an acceptable flea repellent and having sick pets examined by a veterinarian.
Any sudden sickness involving a sudden, extreme fever must be checked out by a doctor.
Fox News Digital reached out to NMDOH for remark.
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