A New Mexico man has died from plague within the state’s first human fatality since 2020, in keeping with well being officers.The person lived in Lincoln County — positioned within the southeastern a part of the state — and was hospitalized from the illness earlier than dying, the New Mexico Division of Well being mentioned in a press launch final week.No different figuring out details about the person was accessible, together with his title, age or race/ethnicity.Plague is treatable with generally accessible antibiotics and the chances of full restoration are increased if a affected person seeks medical care early, in keeping with the CDC.The NMDOH mentioned workers members are reaching out to residents of the realm and will likely be conducting an environmental evaluation locally to find out threat.The final human plague case within the state was a resident of Torrance County in 2021, in keeping with the well being division. In 2020, there have been 4 human instances together with one in Santa Fe County, two in Torrance County and the deadly case in Rio Arriba County.Pc illustration of plague micro organism is seen right here in an undated inventory photograph.STOCK PHOTO/Getty ImagesAlthough plague is commonly related to killing tens of millions of Europeans in the course of the Center Ages, it isn’t an eradicated illness, State Public Well being Veterinarian Dr. Erin Phipps informed ABC Information.”This is identical micro organism that precipitated the Black Dying that decimated the European inhabitants, and it’s certainly nonetheless current. It does nonetheless flow into within the current day,” she mentioned.Plague is a illness attributable to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. It naturally happens within the western U.S., significantly in rural and semi-rural areas of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah, in keeping with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.It sometimes impacts wild rodents together with wooden rats, rock squirrels, floor squirrels, mice, prairie canine and chipmunks. People can contract the illness by being bitten by a rodent flea carrying the bacterium or by coming into direct contact with an animal contaminated with plague, which can embody pets.Phipps mentioned there are three kinds of plague: bubonic plague, which is related to enlarged lymph nodes known as buboes; septicemic plague, which happens when the micro organism enter the bloodstream; and pneumonic plague, which is when the an infection enters the lungs.Different signs sometimes embody headache, fever, chills and weak spot.”Bubonic plague has the enlarged lymph nodes however in any other case, the signs [of plague] are just like a number of different ailments,” Phipps mentioned. “And that is what a few of the problem is. As a result of it is uncommon, it isn’t at all times on individuals’s radar.”She mentioned this is the reason analysis from a educated doctor is extraordinarily vital to obtain remedy.Earlier than antibiotics, two-thirds of people that contracted plague died of the illness, in keeping with Phipps. At the moment, about 10% of individuals die from plague, she mentioned.To scale back the chance of plague, the NMDOH recommends cleansing up areas close to the house the place rodents may reside, stopping pets from roaming and searching, placing away pet meals to not entice rodents and maintaining hay and wooden as distant from the home as doable.Pc illustration of plague micro organism is seen right here in an undated inventory photograph.STOCK PHOTO/Getty ImagesAdditionally, have a sick pet examined instantly by a veterinarian and speak to your physician you probably have indicators of unexplained sickness.”Individuals do not understand that [plague] just isn’t a illness of the previous,” Phipps mentioned. “We get instances within the western United States yearly. We hope by growing consciousness, we are able to encourage early analysis and settlement.”She added: “It isn’t one thing to be overly anxious about, however by guaranteeing it stays on the radar, it’s going to assist … individuals take measures in the event that they reside in wild areas or close to wild rodent populations, particularly with indoor and outside pets.”The information of the New Mexico man’s dying comes only a month after an Oregon resident contracted plague, seemingly from their cat, in keeping with well being officers within the state.