Overview
- The patient, an older adult with underlying health conditions from Grays Harbor County, died after being hospitalized in King County for H5N5 avian influenza.
- State testing detected avian influenza in the backyard flock’s environment, pointing to exposure from domestic poultry, their surroundings, or wild birds as the likely source.
- Officials say no evidence indicates person-to-person transmission, close contacts are being monitored, and no additional human infections have been identified.
- The infection is the first reported human case of H5N5, a strain previously found in animals since 2023, including detections in eastern Canada.
- CDC data show about 70 prior U.S. human bird flu cases since early 2024 and one earlier death, and agencies urge PPE use, caution around animal feces, and flu vaccination for people who work with animals.