A person in Washington state has died from bird flu after exposure at an infected dairy farm, according to state health officials. It is the third human death in the United States since highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza was first reported spreading from wild birds to dairy cattle in March 2024.
The person was a resident of Yakima County and had underlying health conditions that may have increased their vulnerability to the infection. County officials said Friday that the person was severely ill and hospitalized. They have not released the person’s name, age or gender, citing the family’s privacy.
Three people in Washington have tested positive for bird flu since the virus was detected in the state’s dairy cattle on October 8. All three cases were in Yakima County. Officials announced the latest case alongside news of the death; the newly reported patient and the first case both had contact with an infected dairy herd. Neither was reported to have become seriously ill or to have been hospitalized.
Yakima Health District health officer Dave Atteberry said avian influenza can cause severe illness, particularly in people with underlying conditions. He described the death as a serious loss while saying that the risk to the general public remains low.
Sources: Ars Technica.