New Mexico Reports First Human Plague Case of 2026, Following a Fatality in Santa Fe County

The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) has reported the state's first human plague case of 2026, which resulted in a fatality in Santa Fe County. The NMDOH announced the death in June and is conducting an environmental assessment and reaching out to close contacts to determine ongoing risk. New Mexico typically records a small number of human plague cases annually, with three cases in 2025 and one fatal case in 2024.