Arizona Patient Dies After Sudden Onset of Pneumonic Plague in Flagstaff Emergency Room
A Coconino County resident has died from pneumonic plague after being admitted to a Flagstaff emergency room, health authorities confirmed. The rare but serious illness claimed the patient's life on the same day they sought medical care, despite efforts by doctors to resuscitate them.
The unidentified patient was treated at the Flagstaff Medical Center Emergency Department, where life-saving interventions were performed, but ultimately unsuccessful. Medical personnel initially diagnosed the illness through rapid testing, which led to a presumptive identification of Yersinia pestis, the bacterium responsible for plague infections.
On Friday (11 july 2025), test results officially confirmed the presence of pneumonic plague, a severe lung infection caused by Yersinia pestis. According to Coconino County Health and Human Services, this is the first death from pneumonic plague in the county since 2007, when a resident became infected after exposure to a plague-carrying animal.
The plague has three major forms: bubonic, septicemic, and pneumonic. Pneumonic plague is the most severe and can be transmitted through airborne droplets, either from coughing or close contact with an infected person or animal. It may also develop if bubonic or septicemic plague is left untreated and spreads to the lungs.
While most commonly associated with the Black Death that devastated Europe in the Middle Ages, plague infections still occur today, particularly in rural areas of the western United States, as well as in certain regions of Africa and Asia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that an average of seven human cases of plague are recorded in the U.S. each year. With prompt antibiotic treatment, survival rates are high.
Symptoms of plague usually appear within two to six days and can include fever, chills, fatigue, and painful swollen lymph nodes, often located in the groin, armpit, or neck. In the case of pneumonic plague, respiratory symptoms such as coughing and difficulty breathing may develop rapidly.
Humans are most commonly infected through bites from infected fleas, or by handling animals—particularly rodents—that are carrying the disease. Despite the rarity of plague in modern times, it remains a public health concern in certain areas with active rodent populations.
Local health officials emphasized that the recent death is not connected to a prairie dog die-off reported earlier in the week in the Townsend Winona area, northeast of Flagstaff. While such die-offs can indicate the presence of plague in wildlife populations, no direct link to the deceased individual has been identified.
The affected land, which is privately owned, is being closely monitored. Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) is collaborating with the property owner to test fleas collected from the area and treat prairie dog burrows to reduce the risk of transmission.
Meanwhile, the hospital has urged the public to remain vigilant. Individuals experiencing symptoms of a contagious illness are advised to contact a healthcare provider or, in more serious cases, visit the Emergency Department. Patients are encouraged to request a mask upon arrival to minimize the potential spread of infection.
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the deceased,” said Coconino County Board of Supervisors Chair Patrice Horstman, offering condolences and stating that no further information will be released out of respect for the family’s privacy.
