A 10-year-old child in Colorado died of plagueAccording to local health officials, this is a hundreds-year-old disease that once caused more than half of the world’s population to die.
This Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment The child was confirmed to have died in La Plata County, and reports of animal and flea plague from six counties are being investigated.
According to the agency, laboratory tests have confirmed the existence of plague, also known as bubonic plague or black death, and appropriate preventive measures have been taken. Investigation is ongoing.
Jennifer House, a vice-state epidemiologist and public health veterinarian at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, warned in a statement: “In Colorado, we expect that flea attacks will occur during the summer months. The plague test was positive.”
“Awareness and preventive measures can help prevent people’s diseases. Although few people are infected with the plague, we want to make sure that everyone knows the symptoms. If caught early, the disease can be treated,” she added.
The bubonic plague is caused by bacteria. When bitten by an infected flea or in direct contact with an infected animal (such as rock squirrel, wood squirrel, groundhog or other types of ground squirrels and chipmunks), it can be passed Spread to humans.
If detected in time, both humans and pets can treat bubonic plague. Symptoms include a sudden high fever, accompanied by swollen lymph nodes.
According to reports, tens of millions of Europeans died of the plague in one of the most serious epidemics in the history of the 14th century. Washington postThe news media claimed that this outbreak killed as many as 60% of the population, and this outbreak has been repeated for 500 years.
The health department advises against contact with sick or dead animals and recommends staying away from areas where wild rodents live. The agency also stated not to feed or handle wild rodents or squirrels.
House advises people to “let the healthcare provider know if you think you have symptoms of the plague, or if you think you have been exposed to the virus.”
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