New Mexico warns of plague after wild rat tests positive

Health officials in New Mexico are urging residents to take precautions following the state's first confirmed wildlife case of plague this year, which comes weeks after a fatal human infection. A wild wood rat found dead on private property in Santa Fe County recently tested positive for the disease, according to the New Mexico Department of Health.

This marks the fifth confirmed animal case in the state in 2026, following earlier infections in four domestic dogs. Three of those dogs were from Santa Fe County and one was from Bernalillo County. The discovery underscores that plague bacteria are actively circulating in local rodent populations and their fleas, posing a risk to both pets and people.

The warning follows the death of a Santa Fe County woman from plague-related illness in June, which officials have identified as New Mexico's first human case of the year. State health authorities conducted an environmental assessment around her home and notified her close contacts. While human cases are rare, this fatality highlights the potential severity of the disease even with modern medicine.

Plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and occurs naturally in parts of the...