A squirrel in Colorado has contracted the disease commonly known as the Black Death.
Health officials in Jefferson County put out a Sunday statement announcing that a squirrel in the area tested positive for the bubonic plague, a disease caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis, which killed millions in centuries past.
Recommended Stories
Ashley Sever, public affairs manager at Jefferson County Public Health, told the Washington Examiner on Tuesday that the plague was discovered after a resident reported more than a dozen dead squirrels in Morrison, a town of fewer than 500 people. Sever said her department worked with animal control and the state Health Department to test the squirrel.
“So, basically, a citizen reported it and said that they had seen other dead squirrels in the area over the last couple of weeks, and that’s why our department ended up working to test the squirrel,” she said.
“This is the first case of the plague in our county this year. We have not had any other squirrels to test positive at this time,” Sever said.
While uncommon, a few people around the world contract the plague each year. According to the World Health Organization, most plague cases since the 1990s have occurred in Africa, with Congo, Madagascar, and Peru experiencing the most cases in recent years. Also, while the Black Death-infected squirrel is the first known case the county has had in 2020, Jefferson County has had cases of the bubonic plague in years past.
[Read more: Man accused of owning meth-fueled ‘attack squirrel’ gets arrested]
“Humans may be infected with plague through bites from infected fleas, by the cough from an infected animal, or by direct contact (e.g., through a bite) with blood or tissues of infected animals,” the advisory from Jefferson County warned. It also said that pet cats are susceptible to the illness through flea bites.
“Pet owners who suspect their pets are ill should consult a veterinarian. All pet owners who live close to wild animal populations, such as prairie dog colonies or other known wildlife habitats, should consult their veterinarian about flea control for their pets to help prevent the transfer of fleas to humans,” Jefferson County said.
The news comes as a teenager in Mongolia died from the bubonic plague after he reportedly ate marmot meat. The WHO also said it was monitoring a second case of the plague in the Chinese Inner Mongolia region.
