The patient had the pneumonic plague, the rarest and deadliest form of the disease. Human cases remain very uncommon in the United States, though plague is endemic to the western part of the country

The death in Coconino County, which includes Flagstaff, was the first recorded death from pneumonic plague since 2007, local officials said.

Officials said the resident died from pneumonic plague, a severe lung infection. The risk to the public remains low.