Colorado public health officials are reminding residents not to handle squirrels and other rodents after reporting a squirrel in El Paso County tested positive for plague last week.
“By taking simple preventive measures, residents can help protect themselves and their pets, said Haley Zachary, communicable disease program manager for El Paso County Health, in a news release.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, or CDPHE, says it is not uncommon for plague to be present this time of year. The agency states the risk of transmission to humans is low if people follow simple precautions, according to CBS4 News.
Those include refraining from directly handling any wildlife and preventing pets from hunting prairie dogs and other rodents, according to the CDPHE. Plague is most commonly spread toy people by the bite of an infected flea, but can also be transmitted by infected animal tissues, fluids or respiratory droplets.
Symptoms include sudden fever, headache, chills, weakness and sometimes tender, painful lymph nodes.
The CDPHE says two human cases of plague were reported in Colorado last year and both patients survived. Both people had exposure to sick animals, according to CBS4 News.
“While we see most plague activity during the summer, the disease can be found in rodents year-round and sometimes spills over into other wildlife species as well as domestic cats and dogs,” Dr. Jennifer House, the state’s public health veterinarian said, according to CBS4.
CORRECTION: Previous headline was misleading
