The Pueblo Public Health Department says they are still investigating how the person contracted the disease.
PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. — A person in southern Colorado has tested positive for the plague.
The Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment (PDPHE) confirmed the case earlier this week.
Health officials are still trying to determine how the person contracted the disease. They have not released the person’s condition.
Yersinia pestis, the plague bacterium, occurs naturally and is transmitted by fleas. People can contract the disease by being bitten by infected fleas, by touching or skinning infected animals, or by inhaling droplets from the cough of an infected person or animal, the health agency said.
Symptoms of the plague include:
- Swollen lymph nodes with pain
- Sudden fever and chills
- Nausea
- Vomit
- Severe headache and muscle pain
- A feeling of sickness
“If you develop symptoms of plague, seek immediate medical attention,” said Alicia Solis, program manager for the Office of Communicable Disease and Emergency Preparedness at PDPHE. “Plague can be successfully treated with antibiotics, but an infected person must be treated promptly to prevent serious complications or death.”
Health officials advised people to take the following precautions to avoid contracting the plague.
- Remove areas where rodents can hide and breed around your home, garage, shed or recreation area. Remove brush, piles of rocks, rubbish and piles of wood.
- Avoid contact with dead animals. If you must handle sick or dead animals, follow these guidelines. First, use an insect repellent to protect yourself from fleas. Then, use a long-handled shovel to place it in a garbage bag. Finally, place the bag in an outside garbage can.
- Use insect repellent with 20%-30% DEET to prevent flea bites. Treat pants, socks, shoe tops, arms and legs.
- Do not allow pets to sleep in your bed.
- Treat dogs and cats regularly for fleas. Flea collars are not proven effective.
- Do not allow pets to hunt or roam in areas where rodents are present, such as prairie dog colonies.
- Store pet food in rodent-proof containers.
In September 2023, someone in Archuleta County died from the plague.