A Washington resident died from H5N5 bird flu on November 21, the U.S. Department of Health announced, noting the case is rare and poses low risk to the public.
Death from Bird Flu
The U.S. Department of Health announced that on Friday, November 21, a resident of Washington died from the H5N5 strain of bird flu. The deceased was an elderly person with pre‑existing health conditions and maintained a backyard flock of domestic birds.
The department confirmed that the bird flu virus was detected in the environment where the birds were kept. Officials highlighted that the risk of infection for the general public remains low, and that healthcare workers will continue to monitor anyone who had close contact with the patient for symptoms. No evidence of human‑to‑human transmission has been found.
Rare Occurrence among Humans
Bird flu primarily affects birds but can also infect other animals. The World Organisation for Animal Health warned at the end of October that the virus demands urgent global attention because it extends beyond its avian origins and increasingly attacks domestic and wild mammals.
Human infection is very rare, typically occurring through direct contact with sick or dead birds, their droppings, or contaminated environments. Symptoms resemble flu—fever, cough, sore throat, and muscle aches—and severe cases can lead to pneumonia, respiratory failure, and death. Fortunately, the risk of infection in the broader population remains low, and transmission between humans is uncommon.