Officials with the New Mexico Department of Health confirmed that a man has died following hospitalization with the bubonic plague.
The state saw one case in 2021, but it was not fatal, according to the March 8 news release.
"This tragic incident serves as a clear reminder of the threat posed by this ancient disease and emphasizes the need for heightened community awareness and proactive measures to prevent its spread," Erin Phipps, New Mexico's public health veterinarian, stated in the release.
While it is rare, and human-to-human transmission is also rare, cases of bubonic plague in humans can be deadly. It typically affects rodents, such as rats, but can be spread to other animals through the bites of infected fleas — making pets a particularly risky carrier of the infection.
On average, the U.S. typically sees seven human cases each year, according to the CDC. Between 1970 and 2020, New Mexico has had 253 confirmed cases — 51% — out of 496 nationally.