Many people think plague belongs to the realm of history — a calamity confined to textbooks, paintings and stories of medieval Europe. But the disease never fully disappeared.
The Department of Health announced that a woman in Santa Fe County had succumbed to plague. It was New Mexico’s first confirmed human case of 2026 and a reminder that one of humanity’s most notorious diseases still exists in some parts of the American West.
Health officials said it has already contacted people who had close contact with the woman and is carrying out an environmental assessment to evaluate ongoing risks and identify any additional exposures. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to the friends and family of the woman who passed away due to plague,” Erin Phipps, the state’s public health veterinarian, said in a statement. “This tragedy emphasizes the need for heightened community awareness and for taking measures to prevent plague infections.”
Plague remains endemic in wildlife populations across much of the western United States, where the bacterium Yersinia pestis circulates among rodents and the fleas that feed on them. It occurs naturally in the region, especially in semi-arid grasslands and scrub woodlands in states like Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah.
Typically, humans are infected through bites from infected fleas, although plague can also spread through direct contact with infected animals. Pets that roam outdoors may carry plague-infected fleas into households or develop the illness themselves. In rare cases, the disease infects the lungs, where it can transmit from person to person through respiratory droplets released during coughing.
Despite its deadly reputation, plague nowadays is not without a cure. Early diagnosis and treatment can dramatically increase survival rates. But recognizing the symptoms promptly remains critical.
Health officials say a person with plague often experiences a sudden onset of fever, chills, headache, and fatigue. Its most common form, the bubonic plague, also causes painful swelling of lymph nodes, often in the groin, neck, or armpits.
New Mexico has documented sporadic human cases in recent years. The health department reported a case of plague in a 43-year-old man from Valencia County in 2025. In 2024, health officials reported a case of plague in the state, involving a Lincoln County resident. Animals continue to signal that plague never disappeared. Authorities said three dogs have tested positive for plague in 2026. They also reported one infected cat and four infected dogs last year.
Health officials urge residents to take practical precautions:
1. People should avoid contact with rodents or rabbits that are sick or dead.
2. Eliminate rodent habitats around their homes, use insect repellents containing DEET when outdoors.
3. Ensure their pets get appropriate flea prevention treatments.
4. Seek immediate veterinary care for sick pets.
5. Individuals with sudden, unexplained fever after possible exposure should seek medical attention immediately.
The death in Santa Fe County is tragic for one family and community. But it is also a reminder: plague is not merely a relic of the past. The disease, infamous for killing millions of people in Europe during the Middle Ages, never fully disappeared. Instead, the disease adapted, retreated into wildlife reservoirs, and continues to surface, albeit occasionally and unexpectedly, in the modern world.
In New Mexico, plague has now claimed another life.