The New York Daily News included a thumbnail image of David Beckham with its story on the man diagnosed with the bubonic plague. Whoops? (Credit: NYDN, screenshot)

Yesterday, a story about a 58-year-old New Mexico man being diagnosed with bubonic plague made the rounds in various news outlets.  But the New York Daily News’ story grabbed iMediaEthics’ attention because the thumbnail picture with the bubonic plague story was of…David Beckham?

We wrote to the Daily News to ask why Beckham’s picture accompanied the story given that last time we checked, the soccer star isn’t a 58-year-old New Mexico man with the bubonic plague. Garrett Ward, NYDaily News project director, responded via e-mail that “It was an error on our part that was fixed upon discovery.” We’ve written to ask if the Daily News has published a correction or apology anywhere.

We are also writing Beckham’s representatives for comment..

UPDATE: 05/10/2011 9:35 AM EST: Updated David Beckham brief to add comment from NY Daily News