Utah man dies from plague in 4th fatal case in US this year

[Little Tich]

Source: Yahoo! News / AP

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A Utah man in his 70s has died after contracting the plague, bringing to four the number of deaths from the disease reported in the United States this year, health officials said Thursday.

Officials are still trying to determine how the Utah person contracted the disease, but believe it might have been spread by a flea or contact with a dead animal, according to the state Department of Health.

"That's the most common way to get it," said JoDee Baker, an epidemiologist with the agency. "That's probably what happened, but we're still doing an investigation into that."

Plague is a rare disease that is carried by rodents and spread by fleas. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 11 other cases have been reported in six states since April 1. The other three people who died were ages 16, 52 and 79.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/health-officials-elderly-utah-resident-dies-plague-165326140.html

[TwilightGardener]

1. I hate plague season. I have a mini-freakout whenever I find a dead mouse

or some other rodenty critter, have to get it with a long-handled shovel and always wonder if the fleas all jumped off and are going to jump on me next. Keep dogs on leash, cats always inside, chase away prairie dogs who are interested in my lush leach field greenery.

[jonno99]

2. What a horrible way to die...

[bucolic_frolic]

3. A Distant Mirror

by Barbara Tuchman

is a book about the 14th century wars and the Plague

It certainly sets one up for thinking about calamitous times
when economies are shrinking, legal and political systems break down,
and fear grips people and institutions who seek Divine explanations
for their predicament.