TAYLOR, Ariz. (CBS/KPHO) — Health officials are urging people to take precautions after a second Arizona county in two weeks confirmed that fleas in the area have tested positive for plague.
The announcement by Navajo County Public Health officials on Friday comes one week after Coconino County officials found prairie dogs in the area to be carrying fleas with the plague -- the infectious disease infamous for killing millions of Europeans in the Middle Ages.
The fleas in Navajo County were found near the town of Taylor.
Health officials have notified the residents whose property will be treated. The area will be closely monitored to determine if further action is required.
People are advised to take certain measures to reduce the risk of exposure to this serious disease, which can be present in fleas, rodents, rabbits and predators that feed on these animals.
The disease can be transmitted to humans and other animals by the bite of an infected flea or by direct contact with an infected animal.
