An Arizona resident has died from the plague as officials were probing whether a prairie dog die-off in the area was also tied to the lethal illness.

ARIZONA — Health officials have reported the first plague death since 2007, according to CBS News and the AP. Plague is generally rare in humans, as an average of seven cases are reported annually in the United States. The person who most recently died had the pneumonic plague and lived in Coconino County, Arizona.

Coconino County has confirmed its first human death from the plague in nearly two decades. Health officials say a Coconino County resident has died from pneumonic plague — a rare but serious lung infection.

At a time when US is reporting a surge in measles cases despite the disease being eliminated two decades back, the country is now grappling with plague in North Arizona. A person has died in North Arizona of plague and deaths of some prairie dogs also sparked concern among health officials.