New Mexico Man Diagnosed With Plague in State’s First Case This Year, Say Officials

The man, who was not identified, was hospitalized but has been discharged, state officials say.

Image of plague bacteria Yersinia pestis in a file photo. US National Institute of Allergy Infectious Diseases

New Mexico health officials said they have confirmed the first human case of the plague in the state in 2025, occurring in a 43-year-old male from Valencia County who recently went camping.

The man, who was not identified, was hospitalized but has since been discharged, according to a statement issued by the New Mexico Department of Health on Aug. 25. Officials stated that he had camped in Rio Arriba County, where he may have been exposed to the bacteria.