Overview
- The World Health Organization verified the first global human case of influenza A(H5N5) in an adult in Washington state who died on November 21.
- Sequencing by the University of Washington and the U.S. CDC identified the virus as A(H5N5) after samples reached federal labs on November 19.
- Public‑health investigators report the patient kept backyard poultry and domestic birds, with active monitoring of close contacts underway and no positive contacts reported to date.
- WHO assesses risk as low for the general population and from low to moderate for people with occupational or other exposures to potentially infected animals.
- ECDC reports 1,443 detections of highly pathogenic A(H5) in wild birds across 26 European countries from September 6 to November 14, mostly H5N1, and EFSA urges clinician screening about animal exposure, stronger protections for at‑risk workers, and 10–14 day monitoring of exposed individuals.