Woman in Apache County, AZ contracts plague

[Ian David]

GLIDE Number EH-20070914-13382-USA
Event type Epidemic Hazard Date / time 14/09/2007 - 15:08:59
Country USA Area Apache County
County / State State of Arizona City -
Cause of event Unknown Log date 14/09/2007 - 15:08:59
Damage level Moderate Time left -
Latitude: N 35° 0.500 Longitude: W 109° 22.533
Number of deads: Not or Not data Number of injured persons: Not or Not data
Number of missing persons: Not or Not data Number of infected persons 1
Number of evacuated persons: Not or Not data Population

State health officials report that a woman in Apache County contracted plague after being bitten by a flea that was carrying the bacteria. There has also been an outbreak of the deadly disease among prairie dogs and rodents in Coconino County. "The recent appearance of plague activity in two northern counties has us concerned that we may see plague in other areas as well," Craig Levy of the state health department tells our corporate cousins at the Arizona Republic. "We are beginning another cycle of plaguelike activity," he says. Eight of the 48 cases that have been reported in Arizona since 1977 resulted in death. In this case, the first since 2000, the patient is being treated with antibiotics and is said to be recovering. “I know when people hear the word 'plague,’ they get scared,” Department of Health Services spokeswoman Janey Pearl tells the East Valley Tribune. She emphasizes that things have changed since the deadly epidemics of the Middle Ages. “Back then, people didn’t take the precautions that we take now, and now we have antibiotics to treat it.”)

More:
http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/woalert_read.php?lang=eng&cid=13382

[NMDemDist2]

1. happens every year up there and hanta virus too n/t

[Ian David]

2. But at least it's a DRY heat. n/t

[ChazII]

3. so true.

My first thought was, "Why is this news?" Slow news day I guess.

[northzax]

4. Better question:

Why is it filed under 'national security'?

[Warpy]

5. The southwest is an endemic plague area

and there are a few cases here in NM every year. Cats and dogs catch the worst of it. Transmission from them to humans is pretty rare.

It's curable by ordinary antibiotics if it's caught early enough.

It's really not a big deal out here.