First human death from H5N5 strain of avian flu reported in Washington State

 

Headline:  WATT Poultry, 11/21/2025

From the Associated Press:

The person in Washington state, an older adult with underlying health conditions, was being treated for a bird flu strain called H5N5 after becoming seemingly the first known human infected by the strain, according to a statement from the Washington State Department of Health. 

The patient had been in hospital with the disease since early November after developing a high fever, confusion and respiratory problems, health officials said earlier. 

The person – from Grays Harbor county, about 78 miles (125km) south-west of Seattle – had a backyard flock of domestic poultry that had been exposed to wild birds, health officials said.  

“The risk to the public remains low,” the statement from state health officials said. “No other people involved have tested positive for avian influenza.”

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