FLAGSTAFF, Arizona –
An Arizona resident has died from pneumonic plague, marking the first such death in Coconino County since 2007, health officials announced Friday.

County Health and Human Services confirmed the death after receiving confirmatory test results. The individual died from a severe lung infection caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis.

Health officials said the death is not linked to a recent prairie dog die-off in the area. The last recorded death from pneumonic plague in the county occurred in 2007 and was related to contact with a dead animal.

“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the deceased,” said Patrice Horstman, chair of the Coconino County Board of Supervisors. “We are keeping them in our thoughts during this difficult time.” No additional details about the victim were released out of respect for the family.

Plague is rare in humans, with an average of seven cases reported annually in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The risk of public exposure remains low. The disease is most often transmitted through the bite of an infected flea or contact with an infected animal. Human-to-human transmission is exceedingly rare, with the last reported case in the U.S. in 1924, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Since plague is endemic in the Southwest, Coconino County maintains a surveillance system to monitor the disease.

County health officials recommend precautions to reduce exposure: avoid contact with wild rodents and dead animals; use insect repellent and tuck pant cuffs into socks to prevent flea bites; treat pets with veterinarian-approved flea preventatives and keep them leashed; prevent rodent infestations by cleaning up and storing food in rodent-proof containers; report sudden die-offs of prairie dogs, rabbits, or other rodents to health authorities.

Human symptoms typically develop within one to eight days after exposure and can include fever, chills, headache, weakness, and muscle pain. Swollen lymph nodes, known as “buboes,” may also occur.

Plague can be successfully treated with antibiotics if diagnosed early. Health officials advise anyone experiencing symptoms to see a doctor immediately and to inform them of any possible exposure to rodents or fleas.