So, a squirrel in Colorado tested positive for the bubonic plague. No, it’s not time to reach for a plague-doctor beak mask. Put down the bloodletting leeches. Stop gathering sage, sorrel and dandelion for a salve. Not just because these centuries-old remedies probably won't help, but also because the plague isn’t something 21st-century Americans have much to fear from. It’s been around for a while.
The recent squirrel case, which quickly made the rounds on national news outlets, was the first incident of the plague in Jefferson County, Colorado — but only since 2017, the county’s press release notes. Animal and human cases of bubonic plague are not all that uncommon in the United States, and the U.S. is only one of a handful of countries where plague still occurs. But cases rarely lead to widespread plague outbreaks. Plus, they're usually effectively controlled by national and local health agencies, common-sense precautions and, in worst case scenarios, by antibiotics.
