Officials have issued a warning in Colorado after a squirrel tested positive for the bubonic plague in Jefferson County.
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According to the New York Post, the squirrel has become the first case of the bubonic plague in Morrison, a town that is 17 miles from Denver. Health officers stayed that the risks of getting the plague are very low if proper precautions are taken. Humans can get sick with the disease if bitten by an infected flea or animals.
“Plague is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis, and can be contracted by humans and household animals,”
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Additionally they said cats are most at risk for the plague and can die without medical treatment. They can catch it from rodents who are infected and flea bites. Dogs are at the lowest risk but it is still advised to take precaution. If a human catches the plague, they will experience symptoms such as fever, nausea, chills, headaches within a week of contraction.
Thankfully, the bubonic plague can be treated with antibiotics for both animals and humans.