Lima - The death of a 29-year-old woman from pneumonic plague has brought the number of plague victims in the country to three in two months, the health ministry said.
Since late June the other two deaths were from bubonic plague, officials said Thursday, along with 31 people who have been infected in the coastal province of Ascope, about 520km north-west of Lima.
Health Minister Oscar Ugarte stressed the outbreak "has been controlled" and blamed the situation on the expansion of farming in the region that have prompted rodent infestations in nearby towns.
According to the World Health Organisation, bubonic plague is the most common form of plague, caused by infected flea bites or direct contact with infected animals like rodents.
Pneumonic plague by contrast is transmitted only between humans and is related to the initial spread of a form of bubonic plague.
The last outbreak of bubonic plague in northern Peru was in 1994, which killed 35 people and infected over 1 100 others.