Infected Prairie Dogs Cancel Firework Show & Restrict Parking
The plague is still a thing in 2019. Last night an MLS team was forced to cancel their fireworks display after the game due to plague-carrying fleas found on local prairie dogs. Not only did it affect the show, but it also forced MLS fans to park in paved lots (oh the humanity). The Colorado Rapids can't catch a break for fireworks as their 4th of July celebration was also canceled due to inclement weather. So could Minnesota be at risk for a plague infestation? It's possible.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, The "plague occurs in rural and semi-rural areas of the western United States, primarily in semi-arid upland forests and grasslands where many types of rodent species can be involved." Rodents? They wouldn't be talking about our gophers, would they? Yes. The list of rodents that could be infected by these infected fleas includes: ground squirrels, prairie dogs, chipmunks, mice, voles, and rabbits can be affected by the plague. If it affects the vole, it can get to a gopher.
If a Minnesota pet visiting Colorado eats an infected rodent or is bitten by an infected flea they could bring the plague back here, which wouldn't be good news for anyone or anything.
So how does the transmission of the plague work? Here's a handy dandy graphic from the CDC. In short, the plague is caused by inflected fleas biting their hosts which causes the tissue or fluids of the host infected.
This plague hasn't just affected firework displays and restrict parking to paved lots in Colorado. Flea circuses across the west are closing up their tents.
Is this how the Zombie apocalypse begins? Or is it people's way of getting access to Area 51? Only time will tell.
Be safe out there, it's a wild, wild world.