Person in Arizona Dies of Pneumonic Plague

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An Arizona resident has died after experiencing a rare case of the plague.

On July 11th, as reported by NBC News, an individual whose identity was unknown hailing from Coconino County, Arizona, came to the Emergency Department at Flagstaff Medical Center. Tragically, this person passed away later that same day, according to a statement released by Northern Arizona Healthcare.

Although the specific day of the patient’s demise wasn’t revealed, the hospital acknowledged that they initiated “essential first aid” and “made efforts to perform lifesaving revival techniques” before the person unfortunately passed away.

Following a quick test identifying Yersinia pestis as a probable diagnosis, subsequent tests confirmed that the patient’s demise was due to pneumonic plague, according to Coconino County Health and Human Services. This unfortunate event marked the county’s first reported case of the disease since 2007, as per local authorities.

Pneumonic plague is one of three kinds of plague, as recognized by the Cleveland Clinic. Unlike bubonic plague (which is the most prevalent and primarily targets lymph nodes bitten by fleas), pneumonic plague occurs when a Y. pestis bacterium enters the lungs. Septicemic plague, another type, happens when Y. pestis bacteria enter the bloodstream.

Despite its historical notoriety for causing devastating pandemics, the plague now occurs infrequently, with just about seven instances reported annually in the U.S., according to the Cleveland Clinic. This medical institution further points out that the disease is predominantly found in rural regions of western states and primarily transmits among animals or infected individuals.

Luckily, most types of plague have a high survival rate (around 90%) when treated promptly with antibiotics, but without swift medical intervention, the condition is almost always fatal, as reported by health organizations. Key symptoms to look out for are fever, shivering, enlarged/painful lymph nodes, abdominal pain, and difficulty breathing.

To read about stars who’ve experienced frightening health ordeals, keep scrolling.

In an announcement made in April 2025, the former star of Beverly Hills, 90210 shared that he was on the road to recovery following a surgery necessitated by a nearly ruptured appendix.

A week ago, Brian shared on Instagram that he began experiencing abdominal discomfort. This eventually led him to the ER where they discovered a perforated appendix, not yet fully ruptured but very close to it.

He added, “I’m on the road to recovery. It’s not an easy process. This is my first major surgery.”

In my experience as a lifestyle enthusiast, I can relate to Adam Devine’s story about the lasting impact of an injury he suffered at age 11, when a cement truck struck him. Even today, I find myself dealing with lingering effects from similar past traumas, underscoring the importance of understanding and addressing long-term health implications after accidents occur.

Devine expressed on an episode of the ‘In Depth With Graham Bensinger’ podcast in 2025 that it has been a difficult ordeal for him. He explained he experiences spasms throughout his body. For some time now, doctors have given him a grim prognosis, stating that death was imminent – specifically within the past year.

He mentioned that pain appears intermittently, also stating, “There seem to be some minor issues and inconsistencies in the way my body functions.

Previously part of Bachelor Nation, this individual disclosed that he sought treatment at the hospital by crawling on his hands and knees because of intense lower back pain that worsened during a camping trip in an RV with a companion.

He expressed on his Trading Secrets podcast in March 2025 that his legs from knees to toes were still numb, which was surprising to him. To give an idea of the contrast, he mentioned that just a few weeks or a month earlier, he was likely squatting around 295 pounds. Now, he can’t even do a one-legged squat without falling – it’s as if he had experienced a stroke or something similar.

But with the help of a back specialist and some steroids, he added, “We’re on the mend.”

In December 2024, a player in the AHL had 25 stitches after being injured by another player’s skate during a game. Later, when he had fully recovered, his father, who is the general manager of the New Jersey Devils (named Tom Fitzgerald), expressed his gratitude to ESPN, stating, “We feel extremely fortunate. I wouldn’t want that happening to any other parent.

Back in March 2025, Gina Kirschenheiter from The Real Housewives of Orange County revealed that her former spouse, Matt Kirschenheiter, had a heart attack. Fortunately, he pulled through this challenging incident.

In March 2025, the main actor from the show “30 Rock” was unexpectedly taken from Madison Square Garden during a New York Knicks basketball match due to a health issue that occurred.

On the next day, the comedian posted an update on social media, explaining that he had experienced food poisoning but was now recovering.

In February 2025, the former star of Even Stevens disclosed that she had been accidentally shot in the face during a trip to fire clay pigeons as part of her husband Brendan Rooney’s birthday celebration.

In a heart-stopping moment, I found myself the unfortunate target of reckless gunfire at a gathering we shared. A bullet, aimed carelessly, struck me square in the face. But amidst the chaos, there was a beacon of hope – @thebrendanrooney swiftly intervened. He assessed my condition, acted decisively, and whisked me away to the hospital. Five impact points marked my body, one of them mere inches from piercing my right eye directly. I owe my life to his quick thinking and bravery that day.

The former star of “Kim Possible” went on to say, “Regrettably, a piece became stuck near my eye, and it’s not safe for surgery right now. However, doctors are keeping a close watch on me, and I can see fine for now.

She expressed her deep gratitude for still being alive, adding, “My love for my daughters, husband, family, and friends knows no bounds.” She continued, “I caught a glimpse of my life’s journey in those moments, and I want to emphasize this: Cherish the people close to you whenever you can. Life, as we know it, can shift dramatically in the blink of an eye.

Although the internet isn’t always friendly, Amy Schumer is grateful that this time it provided her with valuable insights. After a series of interviews, she recounted on Call Her Daddy in January 2025, “The internet was quite critical, and I told everyone to calm down. But then medical professionals started commenting, suggesting I might have Cushing syndrome.”

She continued, “When doctors hinted that my unusual appearance could be a sign of this condition, I wondered, ‘Am I being trolled by doctors?'” After these doctors suspected she had Cushing syndrome due to increased cortisol levels or steroid injections, the Life & Beth creator realized, “Ah, I’ve been receiving steroid injections for my scars.”

She explained, “I had a breast reduction and a C-section, among other procedures, and was receiving these steroid injections. This condition, called Cushing syndrome, might have gone unnoticed if the internet hadn’t been so critical of me.” Today, Amy is simply relieved to learn that she’s healthy and will recover from this syndrome. As she wrote in a February 2024 News Not Noise newsletter, “Discovering I had a self-resolving type of Cushing syndrome was the best news I could have hoped for.

Hailey Bieber experienced a terrifying incident in March 2022 during breakfast with husband Justin Bieber when she began having symptoms similar to a stroke. She recalled, “Justin asked if I was okay, but I couldn’t respond because I wasn’t sure.” As time passed, she lost the ability to speak and her right side of the face drooped.

Hailey quickly went to the hospital for checks where they discovered a small blood clot in her brain, known as a TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack). Later, at the University of California, Los Angeles, doctors found a hole in her heart called a patent foramen ovale (PFO). They determined that the blood clot had traveled through this hole to her heart, escaped, and reached her brain, leading to the TIA.

Thankfully, Hailey underwent a successful PFO closure procedure and is now feeling well.

In the same year Hailey went through a health crisis, Justin Bieber also encountered one. Specifically, in 2022, Justin revealed he was diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a condition that affected his facial nerves, causing temporary paralysis to parts of his face and leading him to cancel the rest of his Justice World Tour. In an Instagram video, he explained, “The virus has attacked the nerve in my ear and my facial nerves, causing my face to be paralyzed. As you can see, this eye doesn’t blink, I can’t smile on this side of my face, and this nostril won’t move, so there’s full paralysis on this side.” He further mentioned that it became progressively difficult for him to eat, but eventually the paralysis subsided. Hailey shared on a June 2022 episode of Good Morning America that Justin was doing well and feeling better, despite the sudden and frightening situation. She added that he would be completely okay and she was grateful that he was fine.

Jamie Foxx initially chose to keep his April 2023 hospitalization a private matter. However, in his 2024 Netflix special “What Had Happened Was…”, he shared the ordeal he experienced. In Atlanta, the Academy Award winner recounted, “I had such a severe headache that I asked my friend for an aspirin. Before I could get it, I collapsed and lost consciousness for 20 days.”

Upon visiting a doctor who administered a cortisone shot and sent him home, his sister, Deidra Dixon, became alarmed and drove him to a hospital. There, they discovered he had suffered a brain bleed that caused a stroke. Following a surgery on the 20th day, Foxx woke up on May 4 in a wheelchair and was unable to walk. He then traveled to Chicago for rehabilitation and therapy.

“I can only express my gratitude for every prayer,” he said, “as I needed all of them.

In 2019, Emilia Clarke, who is famously known for her role in Game of Thrones, penned an essay titled “A Battle for My Life” in The New Yorker. One day at the gym, she was struck with an intense headache that led her to the toilet where she became violently ill and felt a worsening pain in her head, which she later recognized as damage to her brain.

Rushed to the hospital for a scan, she was diagnosed with a subarachnoid hemorrhage, a severe type of stroke caused by bleeding around the brain. She underwent immediate surgery to seal the aneurysm, describing the pain as excruciating. During recovery, she experienced aphasia and spoke incoherently.

A week later, her aphasia subsided, and she was discharged from the hospital after a month. However, during a 2013 brain scan, she discovered that the growth had doubled in size, requiring another surgery. The procedure failed, and she faced a precarious situation as the doctors prepared for another operation, this time through her skull.

Luckily, Emilia is now fully recovered and is doing well.

Snoop Dogg’s daughter, Cori Broadus, expresses her gratitude towards her family following her stroke in January 2024. As soon as she informed them about her health emergency and shared a picture, everyone rushed to her aid. Since she faced additional medical issues, her stay at the hospital was prolonged beyond what she had anticipated. “I could have left after my stroke,” she told TopMob News correspondent Will Marfuggi in December 2024, “but my lupus wasn’t cooperating, and my kidneys were failing, so I had a lot to deal with.” Fortunately, Cori is now recovering well. “I’m doing great now,” she shared. “I just needed to work on regaining some motor skills, but other than that, I was fine.

During her twenties, the health of Shailene Woodley wasn’t smooth sailing. She experienced numerous health complications, including losing her hearing, struggling with fatigue, and stomach problems. Speaking on the SHE MD Podcast in September 2024, she described her predicament: “I couldn’t walk for more than five minutes without needing to rest for hours, and everything I ate upset my stomach.”

“If everything I ate hurt my stomach, I suddenly became afraid of food. This led to mental struggles related to body image, self-identity, safety, and understanding what it means to feel comfortable and secure in my own body.”

After addressing both her physical and mental health concerns, Shailene is now feeling much better: “Thankfully, this journey ultimately resulted in a resolution of my physical issues, and I am delighted to say that I’m in good health.

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2025-07-12 00:48