The Strange Strains and “Dead” Diseases That Took American Lives This Summer

There’s no doubt that funeral directors see their fair share of unusual and/or complicated causes of death; even small-town firms will deal with the occasional case of Legionnaires’ Disease or poisoning from household chemicals or foraged plants. 

But deaths from Dengue fever? Hantavirus? The plague? Deaths from these diseases are so rare that they make the national news. And, sadly, each of these CODs and several others have been reported since May 2026, alarming the public and, most likely, leading to a few extra protocols by the funeral homes that served these families.

Nasty insects and infected rodents

Unlike the unsubstantiated COVID-19 theories that the pandemic originated from bats, scientists have confirmed that the handful of deaths from rare viral strains did indeed originate from infected animals.

In June, Arizona health officials attributed a death in Mohave County to the Sin Nombre hantavirus, a strain that is passed to humans from the saliva of infected rodents, and not from other people. The same virus caused a death in Colorado in May, with health officials confirming that exposure to local deer mice was the cause. In both instances, reports clarified that this strain was unrelated to the hantavirus “cruise ship outbreak” that grabbed headlines throughout the month of April. No deaths from that strain were reported in the U.S.

Rodents are also ostensibly responsible for the June death of a New Mexico woman from the plague — yes, the same bacterial disease that was dubbed the “black death” in medieval times. Newsweek reports that the plague “still exists in parts of the western United States, where it circulates among rodents and can spread to humans through infected flea bites or contact with animals.”

Just a few weeks ago, an 80-year-old woman from Tampa, Florida died from complications of dengue fever, which is spread by mosquitos. This COD was confirmed on September 18 amid warnings that Florida is in the midst of “one of its worst surges of dengue fever in decades.” ABCNews reported that climate change is responsible for the expanded geographic reach of these infected warm-weather mosquitos.

Bacteria, parasites, and politics

The Sunshine State was also ground zero for a rare flesh-eating bacteria known as Vibrio vulnificus that took the life of a Palm Beach County individual in July. Exposure to this virus comes from direct contact with warm, brackish seawater, and can be transmitted through raw or undercooked shellfish, like oysters.

Cyclospora infection, which is caused by a parasite that is commonly linked to contaminated fresh produce, led to two deaths in Michigan in August. 

Lastly, but certainly not the least of these awful CODs, is measles, which has now been connected to four deaths in Pennsylvania. In addition to the well-publicized deaths of two infants early this month, a 40-year-old woman and a teenager have died from measles, according to CNN Health. The infants’ deaths are still being debated in political arenas, where federal and state officials are arguing over what constitutes a “measles-associated” COD.

What can be done?

Hindsight is 20/20, especially when it involves a family or medical authorities examining how a death could have been prevented. But those post-mortem conclusions can certainly help people take steps to avoid the same fate.

Since its approval in 1963, the MMR vaccine cycle has proven to be 97% effective in the prevention of measles; however, vaccination rates are still steadily declining. 

Cyclospora and flesh-eating bacteria are transmitted through food and/or brackish water, so avoiding swamps and warm puddles and ensuring shellfish are thoroughly cooked and produce is thoroughly washed before consumption should help to curb the chances of contracting these deadly diseases.

As for mosquitos and mice, bug spray regimens and household rodent-proofing can go a long way toward prevention, along with cleaning any rodent droppings with bleach, mask, and gloves.

If there is any good news in this story, it is that, other than the plague, none of these infections and diseases (at least the specific strains mentioned here) can spread from a human body to another after death, so there is no danger to embalmers or funeral home personnel. Additionally, many of these reported deaths occurred in patients with underlying illnesses or otherwise compromised conditions, so the majority of people who contract these diseases can be successfully treated. 

So don’t let this summer’s headlines screaming “outbreak” and “death” send your team running for additional PPE and disease-specific OSHA guidelines. (Of course, if you do need the latter, we know a guy who can help!)