Dr. Jon Hallberg: U.S. ranks 11th in plague cases
The U.S. currently ranks 11th for plague cases in the world. Occurring primarily in the western part of the country, the disease is spread by rodents and fleas.
The plague first arrived in the U.S. in 1900 aboard ships coming from Hawaii and Asia. It is rarely seen in cities because the animals that carry it thrive in dry, open areas.
Still, the number of people in the U.S. who get the plague is small. There have only been 57 cases in the last decade.
Dr. Jon Hallberg joined MPR News' Tom Crann to discuss the disease.
From the CDC:
• How the plague is transmitted
• Maps: Plague in the U.S. and the world
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