One year after last case, Washington resident dies of H5N1 bird flu

A person in Washington state died on Sunday from complications of avian influenza, marking the first U.S. death from the disease in one year.

The deceased was a Yakima County resident with pre-existing health conditions. County health officials stated that the patient was hospitalized after being exposed to the virus at a dairy with infected cattle.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified the strain as H5N1. A CDC spokesperson announced on Monday that genetic analysis of the virus found no changes that would make it spread more easily or cause more severe illness.

Yakima County officials have not released additional details about the patient. The Yakima Health District is currently working with the state health department to identify and monitor close contacts of the three human infections linked to dairy exposure.

Since 2024, bird flu has become a national public health concern. Two other U.S. deaths have occurred during this period. The first, announced in January 2025, involved an elderly person in Louisiana with H5N1. The second, a Washington state resident, died in November 2025 from the rarer H5N5 strain.

County reports indicate that 33 dairy herds have recently tested positive for H5N1. The virus has spread widely among wild birds, poultry, cows, and other animals for several years. Health concerns increased in early 2024 when infections moved into U.S. livestock.

The CDC has reported more than 70 human infections in the U.S. since the beginning of 2024. The agency states there is no known person-to-person spread and that the risk to the general public remains low. Officials urge people who contact sick or dead birds to wear respiratory and eye protection and gloves. Farm workers are considered at higher risk.