5th Animal Tests Positive for Plague in New Mexico, Health Officials Confirm

A wild rodent found dead on private property in northern New Mexico has tested positive for plague, marking the first confirmed wild animal case in Santa Fe County this year and bringing the state's total number of animal plague cases in 2026 to five.

Kelly McBride Ni

Published: 7/9/2026, 11:34:12 PM EDT

5th Animal Tests Positive for Plague in New Mexico, Health Officials Confirm — A bubonic plague smear, prepared from a lymph removed from an adenopathic lymph node, or bubo, of a plague patient, demonstrates the presence of the Yersinia pestis bacteria that causes the plague in this undated photo. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Getty Images)

The New Mexico Department of Health said the rodent was submitted for testing after a resident found it dead on private property in Santa Fe County. Earlier this year, three dogs in Santa Fe County and one in Bernalillo County also tested positive for plague.

"While this is an animal case of plague, it's important to remember humans can get plague from flea bites or direct contact with infected animals, including rodents, wildlife and even pets," said Dr. Chad Smelser, deputy state epidemiologist for the New Mexico Department of Health.

Dogs and cats that become infected may develop fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, and swollen lymph nodes, particularly beneath the jaw.

In people, plague symptoms can include sudden fever, chills, headache, weakness, and painful, swollen lymph nodes in the groin, neck, or armpit. It can also be fatal.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says prompt antibiotic treatment is critical and greatly improves the chance of recovery. Without early treatment, plague can be life-threatening.

Human plague cases remain rare in the United States, but the disease continues to occur in rural areas of the western U.S.

New Mexico reports about half of the nation's human plague cases in a typical year, according to the state health department. It's also been found in parts of Arizona, Colorado, California, Oregon, and Nevada, according to CDC data.

Health officials have urged residents to reduce rodent habitats around homes by removing brush, woodpiles, and junk.

It’s also recommended to keep pet food away from wildlife, use veterinarian-approved flea control products on pets, and avoid handling sick or dead rodents and rabbits.

“Plague is a serious illness,” states the CDC. “If you are experiencing symptoms like those listed here, seek immediate medical attention. Prompt treatment with the correct medications is critical to prevent complications or death.”

According to the CDC, an average of seven human plague cases are reported each year in the U.S.

The plague arrived in the U.S. around 1900 from rat-infested steamships that had sailed from affected areas, the CDC said. “The last urban plague epidemic in the United States occurred in Los Angeles from 1924 through 1925,” the CDC said.