A squirrel has tested positive for the bubonic plague in the city of Morrison, Colorado, Jefferson County public health officials announced in a statement over the weekend. The squirrel, discovered Saturday, is the first plague case in Jefferson County, according to the statement.
A spokesperson for Jefferson County Public Health told CBS News on Tuesday that someone in Morrison reported seeing at least 15 dead squirrels in the city. Officials tested one, and since it was positive for bubonic plague, they hope others are infected, too.
In a statement, officials warned that plague, an infectious disease caused by the Yersinia pestis bacteria, can be contracted by humans and pets. They said humans can become infected through flea bites, the cough of an infected animal, or by coming into direct contact with blood or tissue from an infected animal.
Cats are highly susceptible to plague and can contract it from flea bites or scratches or rodent bites, or by ingesting a rodent. Cats can also die if not properly treated with antibiotics, authorities said.
Dogs are not as susceptible to plague, according to the statement. However, dogs can pick up and transport plague-infected fleas.
Officials advise pet owners who live near wild animal populations, or suspect their pets are ill, consult a veterinarian.
In their statement, Jefferson County Public Health recommended several precautions to protect against plague, including removing food sources and shelter for wild animals, avoiding sick or dead wildlife and rodents, and consulting with vets about flea and tick control.
“The risk of contracting plague is extremely low as long as precautions are taken,” the statement said.
The statement says plague symptoms include the sudden onset of high fever, chills, headache, nausea, and extreme pain and swelling of the lymph nodes, which can occur within two to seven days after exposure to the bacteria. .
Colorado report comes about a week later officials in China announced a suspected case of bubonic plague in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The Associated Press reported that Bayannur district authorities lifted the plague warning earlier this month, directing residents not to hunt wild animals such as groundhogs. He also ordered residents to send anyone with a fever or other possible signs of infection for treatment.
The plague killed millions of people worldwide during the Middle Ages, and outbreaks have occurred since then, including the Great Plague in London in the 17th century.
Today, plague can be deadly in up to 90% of infected people, if left untreated. The CDC said that modern antibiotics are effective in treating it.
“Currently, plague infections in humans continue to occur in rural areas in the western United States, but significantly more cases occur in parts of Africa and Asia,” the CDC said.
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