U.S. Gets Its First Plague Case of the Year
An unnamed man in New Mexico has the dubious honor of being the first in the U.S. to be diagnosed with bubonic plague, a/k/a, "the Black Death," this year. Of all the luck! Via NPR, the man, 58, was hospitalized for a week after showing up at a New Mexico emergency room with a high fever and lower abdomen and groin pain. In related news, bubonic plague still exists: Avoid fleas and rock squirrels of the West, as well as prairie dogs and rats, all of which have been known to pass plague to humans. The good news is, the man is doing fine now. 
Between 10 and 20 human cases of plague are reported in the U.S. each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 1 in 7 cases is fatal, but all are likely to diminish your popularity for a bit.
Plague Infects New Mexico Man [NPR]
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