--- title: Human Plague Found in New Mexico description: Two new cases of plague have been confirmed in New Mexico, bringing the total number of cases of human plague there this year to three. canonical: https://time.com/4834612/plague-new-mexico-two-cases/ author: Mahita Gajanan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-06-27T15:05:21.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-23T16:20:05.148Z article:section: Health og:title: Two New Cases of Human Plague Have Been Confirmed in New Mexico og:description: Plague is usually transmitted to humans through bites or direct contact og:url: https://time.com/4834612/plague-new-mexico-two-cases/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7615dff1c535692c/6988d371096a94127769e89c/plague.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2000 og:image:height: 1125 og:image:alt: Yersinia Pestis SEM og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Two New Cases of Human Plague Have Been Confirmed in New Mexico twitter:description: Plague is usually transmitted to humans through bites or direct contact twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7615dff1c535692c/6988d371096a94127769e89c/plague.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # 2 New Cases of Human Plague Have Been Confirmed in New Mexico > Sponsored content. 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Jun 27, 2017 3:05 PM UTC  Mass of Yersinia pestis bacteria. Mass of Yersinia pestis bacteria. Media for Medical/UIG/Getty Images by [Mahita Gajanan](https://time.com/author/mahita-gajanan/) ## Mahita Gajanan Gajanan is an editor at TIME. Jun 27, 2017 3:05 PM UTC Two new [cases of plague](http://time.com/4025945/squirrel-plague-california/) have been confirmed in New Mexico, bringing the total number of cases of human plague in the state this year to three. The New Mexico Department of Health reported that two women, ages 52 and 62, from Santa Fe County were diagnosed with plague. The first case of [plague](http://time.com/4094862/bubonic-plague-facts/) in Santa Fe County this year, found in a 63-year-old man, was reported earlier in June. All three cases have required hospitalization, the [health department said](https://nmhealth.org/news/disease/2017/6/?view=574). Plague, a bacterial disease found in rodents, is usually transmitted to humans through bites from infected fleas or by direct contact with infected animals, like rodents, wildlife and pets. Symptoms include fever, chills, headache, weakness and painful swollen lymph nodes. Proper treatment and antibiotics greatly reduce the risk of death. 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