An American tourist couple has been hospitalized in a New York City hospital with what appears to be bubonic plague, which has been found in the U.S. for the first time in a century. The couple, from New Mexico, was hospitalized two days after arriving in New York due to severe fever and swollen lymph nodes. Tests have confirmed the 53-year-old man's condition, while tests for his 47-year-old wife are ongoing. Both patients have been given antibiotics that are very effective in treating the disease. New York health officials state that the city's residents are not at risk of contracting the disease because this type of plague does not spread from human to human. It is believed that the couple likely contracted the illness from a flea in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
This Type of Plague Does Not Spread from Human to Human - 2002-11-07
An American couple from New Mexico has been hospitalized in New York City with bubonic plague, marking its first occurrence in the U.S. in a century. Health officials assure the public that there is no risk of human-to-human transmission.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
An American couple from New Mexico was hospitalized in New York City with bubonic plague, marking the first occurrence in the U.S. in a century. Health officials confirmed that the disease does not spread between humans.
- The couple likely contracted the plague from fleas in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
- Both patients are being treated with effective antibiotics.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Bubonic plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, typically transmitted through flea bites. It has a historical context as a significant cause of mortality in past pandemics.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%