Health officials find bubonic plague bacteria in Arizona

Health officials are warning Arizona residents after fleas in two counties tested positive for Yersinia pestis, the bacterium that causes bubonic plague, according to the Washington Post.

Health officials in Navajo and Coconino are urging residents and visitors to take precautions, such as keeping their pets leashed and avoiding contact with dead animals, to reduce the risk of encountering the bacterium.

There have been no human cases detected in these counties thus far. However, if an individual contracts the disease it is treatable with antibiotics.

According to the CDC, about seven cases of plague are reported in the United States per year.  

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