According to local health experts, a 10-year-old child from Colorado died from causes related to the plague. This centuries-old disease once killed more than half of the world's population.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment confirmed the death of the child by investigating reports of animal and flea infections from six counties.
According to the agency, a laboratory test confirmed the bubonic plague or Black Death. They took the necessary safeguards during the test. An investigation is currently underway.
Samples taken from suspected cases of plague are being analyzed to confirm the diagnosis of the bubonic plague in Ituri, the Democratic Republic of Congo on March 1, 2021. - In total, more than 300 cases of the bubonic plague have been reported to date. The Congolese outbreak is the oldest plague outbreak in the world, yet remains the least known due to its location in an unstable area. A multidisciplinary team mandated by the local authorities has been sent to describe the possible environmental causes of the epidemic (linked to human activities and behavior). The transmission of the plague to humans occurs via infected fleas present in rodents, and rats in particular. Rats contaminate homes by entering houses, attracted by food and food stocks. Flea traps have been placed in the homes so that tests can be carried out to confirm the presence of the plague.
Jennifer House, Deputy State Epidemiologist and Public Health Veterinarian for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment warned in a statement to expect fleas to test positive for plague in Colorado throughout the summer months.
"Awareness and precautions can help prevent the disease in people. While it's rare for people to contract the plague, we want to make sure everyone knows the symptoms. The disease is treatable if caught early," House said as reported by The Hill.
What Is Bubonic Plague?
Healthline said that the Bubonic plague is caused by bacteria that can spread to humans through the bite of infected fleas or close contact with sick animals such as rock squirrels, wood squirrels, ground squirrels, or other types of ground squirrels.
If the Bubonic plague is detected early, it can be treated in humans and animals. One of the symptoms is a sharp rise in body temperature, accompanied by an increase in lymph nodes.
According to The Washington Post, the plague killed tens of millions of Europeans in one of the largest epidemics in the history of the 14th century. According to the news agency, this disease causes as many as 60% of the population deaths and has recurring episodes within 500 years.
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History of Bubonic Plague in The United States
The local health department, per DailyMail, reported 22 occurrences of plague between 2005 and 2020. La Plata County had nine of them.
According to Colorado Public Radio, four people died of the plague in 2015, including two in Colorado: an adult in Pueblo County and a teenager in Larimer County.
Express.co.uk said rat-infested ships carried the plague to the United States, causing epidemics in port cities in the 1900s.
The last plague pandemic in the United States took place in Los Angeles between 1924 and 1925, the same Express.co.uk report added.
The bacterial virus migrated from urban rats to rural rodents. The plague now only occurs in rare cases in rural areas.
Northern New Mexico, northern Arizona, southern Colorado, California, southern Oregon, and far western Nevada are home to most human cases in the United States.
What to Do to Avoid Black Plague
Everyday Health urges people to avoid touching ill or dead animals and stay away from wild rats' locations. The authorities stated that feeding or handling wild mice or squirrels is also prohibited.
The same report said that individuals should see a doctor if they suspect they are suffering from plague symptoms or have been exposed to the disease.
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