United States: Just weeks after one man died of the same distressing condition in Arizona, a domestic cat died of the bubonic plague in Colorado, the authorities claimed.
Evergreen epidemiologist Jefferson County Public Health officials said in an announcement Wednesday that the cat had been diagnosed with the plague and died.
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It is the initial reported instance of the illness brought about by the bacterium Yersinia pestis in one of the creatures in the county since 2023, authorities revealed.
The news of the new case arrives at the same time that an Arizona resident died earlier this month of the plague, and officials said a die-off of prairie dogs in an area of the state may be a warning of a plague outbreak in the deadly disease, as the New York Post reported.
California resident tests positive for the PLAGUE in the state's first case in five years: The patient, whose name, age and sex has not been revealed, is currently being cared by a medical professional and is recovering at home, according to El Dorado… https://t.co/7EyDye5d80 pic.twitter.com/XGHfF52LaH
— RushReads (@RushReads) August 18, 2020
Northern Arizona Healthcare said that in one case, the individual died at Flagstaff Medical Center, the day the individual arrived, displaying severe symptoms. Authorities added that persons and animals can contract the plague through being bitten by infected fleas or even direct contact with infected animals.
The plague has been omitted in humans, especially in the developed countries, but such cases have been considered as life-threatening when the disease is not treated, as health officials claim.
Humans develop high sudden fever, chills, headache, nausea, and their lymph nodes become swollen.
Pets also will become feverish, less energetic, underachieving, and have swollen lymph nodes, according to Jefferson County health authorities. Officials added that when the disease is detected at an earlier stage, it can be treated using antibiotics.
Officials advised that people should avoid dead, sick, and wild animals and keep pets indoors, especially outdoors, to minimize the chances of the disease.
According to Jim Rada, Jefferson County Environmental Health Director, “It’s not uncommon to see a few animal cases of plague in the warmer months in Colorado,” the New York Post reported.
“Like with this case, sometimes our local veterinarians are the first to see plague when our pets get sick. In many ways, they are a first line of defense both in helping keep our pets safe from fleas that could make our pets sick and in treating them if they are exposed to plague,” he added.