Health officials in Arizona have confirmed the death of a resident from the pneumonic plague - but they've not linked the death to a recent prairie die-off in an adjacent town.

A person in northern Arizona died from bubonic (pneumonic) plague, marking Coconino County's first death from the disease since 2007.

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.