[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Gayeon] Amid reports of plague patients in China, a case of wild rodents infected with the plague has also been reported in the United States.
On the 14th (local time), according to local media including ABC News, the Jefferson County Health Department in Colorado announced that a wild squirrel tested positive for lymphatic plague (bubonic plague).
However, citing data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the media explained, "In the United States, an average of seven cases of plague are reported annually, mainly in the southwestern region," adding, "If symptoms are detected early, effective treatment with antibiotics is possible."
The squirrel was reportedly found on the 11th in Morrison Town, west of Denver.
Local health authorities issued a warning and stated, "If proper preventive measures are not taken, the plague can be transmitted to humans and livestock," urging caution.
They further advised avoiding contact with dead or sick wild animals and rodents, and repeatedly requested not to feed or provide habitats for wild animals around homes.
They also recommended keeping pets such as cats and dogs indoors, explaining, "Fleas carrying the plague bacteria can be transmitted from pets to humans, and pets can spread the plague by preying on wild rodents."
Meanwhile, the plague is transmitted to humans through flea bites carrying the Yersinia pestis bacteria or contact with the blood or bodily fluids of infected wild rodents.
The plague is classified into three types: lymphatic plague, pneumonic plague, and septicemic plague. Lymphatic plague accounts for 80 to 95% of all plague cases. Major symptoms include swollen lymph nodes, fever, chills, and muscle pain, with a fatality rate of 50 to 60%.
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