[livius]

The infected people (a man and wife) are from Santa Fe, NM, and visiting NYC. Prairie dogs and other rodents in the West are big carriers of the plague, so I think this is just a more or less "normal" outbreak.

[aruanan]

The infected people (a man and wife) are from Santa Fe, NM, and visiting NYC.

True. Plague is endemic in New Mexico.

[Aracelis]

"Prairie dogs and other rodents in the West are big carriers of the plague..."

As an interesting aside...my job this summer took me to a region where Prairie Dogs were plentiful. Being the naturally inquisitive person I am (and thinking Prairie Dogs are oh so cute), I approached one of their "holes". I was appalled at the thick cloud of fleas swarming around the entrance to their underground dwelling. No wonder we still get cases of Plague. I had never seen so many fleas in one place at one time.