A 10-year-old girl in La Plata County died from the plague last week, making her Colorado’s first plague death in six years, according to San Juan Basin Public Health.
The department said it was notified of the plague case on Wednesday but waited to confirm the cause of death after an investigation with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
“We are so sad for the loss of this young Coloradan and our deepest condolences go to the family,” said Dr. Jennifer House of state health agency.
House said said residents should “know that while this disease is very rare, it does occur sometimes, and to seek medical care if you have symptoms.”
The girl’s identity has not been released, but she was a member of a local 4-H youth development group, according to a letter sent Thursday to members of the 4-H Weaselskin Club.
The letter said the girl was a fourth-grade student at Sunnyside Elementary School in Durango who played softball and was raising hogs in her 4-H group.
CDPHE and San Juan Basin Public Health are continuing to investigate the case and will provide additional information as it becomes available.
“Our hearts go out to the family while we support the state’s thorough investigation to keep residents safe,” said Liane Jollon, executive director of San Juan Basin Public Health.
The plague is a bacteria-caused disease that is usually transferred to humans by flea bites, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is often found in rock squirrels, prairie dogs, wood rats and other species of ground squirrels, state health officials said.
Plague can be treated with antibiotics. In the absence of prompt treatment, infections can cause serious illness or death, officials said.
The plague last killed Colorado residents in 2015 when a Pueblo County adult and a teenager in Larimer County succumbed to the disease. Those Coloradans accounted for half of all plague deaths in the U.S. in 2015 — the deadliest plague year in recent decades, according to federal health officials.
The plague is most common in the western part of the U.S. and La Plata County has had the highest number of plague cases in Colorado, accounting for 9 out of 22 human cases here from 2005 to 2020, according to state health officials.
After four consecutive years of no human plague cases in Colorado, two people survived the disease in 2020 after exposure to infected animals.
State health officials warned of plague activity in the state in May when a squirrel in El Paso County tested positive for the disease.
Plague symptoms include sudden fever, headache, chills and weakness. Residents can protect themselves from infection by keeping pets up to date on vaccinations and flea protections and by avoiding wild animals, officials said.
This content was originally published here.
