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Colorado reports 2nd case of human plague this summer

The new case was reported this week in a rural county, according to the state health department.
Credit: KUSA

DENVER — Colorado's second case of human plague this summer was reported this week, according to the state health department.

The case was reported Thursday in an unnamed rural county. A resident of that county was exposed to a sick cat, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) said in a press release Friday.

CDPHE reported the first case in July and said the infected person, who'd had contact with sick squirrels, had been infected with septicemic plague earlier in the summer in southwest Colorado and had recovered.

The cases were unrelated, CDPHE said.

These were the first instances of human plague reported in Colorado since 2015. In the past decade, there have been 14 human cases in the state, according to CDPHE.

The plague bacteria was also confirmed this year in rodents in Broomfield, Jefferson and Adams counties, and a cat in Elbert County.

RELATED: First human case of plague since 2015 reported in Colorado

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CDPHE reminds residents that it's not uncommon for plague to be present this time of year. The risk of transmission to humans is very low, as long as some simple precautions are taken:

They include the following:

  • Do not directly handle any wildlife
  • Keep pets away from wildlife, especially dead rodents and rabbits
  • Don’t let dogs or cats hunt prairie dogs, other rodents, or rabbits
  • Don’t allow pets to roam freely
  • Treat all pets for fleas according to a veterinarian's advice
  • Do not feed wildlife – this attracts them to your property, brings them in close contact, and increases the risk of disease transmission.
  • Be aware of rodent and rabbit populations in your area, and report sudden die-offs or multiple dead animals to your local health department.

Plague is most commonly spread to people by the bite of an infected flea but also can be transmitted by infected animal tissues, fluids or respiratory droplets.

RELATED: Squirrel with plague found in Morrison

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