Washington resident dies from H5N1 bird flu after exposure at infected dairy

A Yakima County resident in Washington state died on Sunday after being hospitalized for complications of H5N1 avian influenza, health officials said. The individual, who had underlying medical conditions, was exposed to the virus at a dairy where cattle tested positive for H5N1.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the infection was H5N1 and noted that genetic analysis of the virus showed no mutations that would increase transmissibility or severity. The death is the first U.S. bird-flu fatality in a year, following two earlier deaths linked to the disease in 2024 and 2025.

County health officials reported that 33 dairy herds in the area have tested positive for H5N1 and that three human infections have been associated with dairy exposure. The Yakima Health District is collaborating with state health authorities to identify and monitor individuals who had close contact with the infected patients.

Since early 2024, more than 70 human cases of H5N1 have been recorded in the United States, though the CDC says there is no evidence of person-to-person transmission and the overall risk to the public remains low. The agency continues to advise people handling sick or dead birds, as well as farm workers, to use respiratory and eye protection and gloves.