An individual in Washington state has died from complications related to the H5N1 strain of avian influenza, health officials announced. This death marks the third H5N1-linked fatality in the U.S. since the beginning of 2024 and the second recorded in Washington.

The patient, from Yakima County, was hospitalized with severe illness and died from complications of bird flu after exposure to infected dairy cattle, according to the Yakima Health District. Officials stated the individual had underlying health conditions that increased their risk.

Health authorities are monitoring individuals who may have had close contact with the infected person, checking for symptoms such as eye redness, fever, and sore throat. Experts emphasize that the risk of avian influenza infection to the general public remains low, with greater risk posed to dairy workers and others who have close or prolonged contact with infected animals or contaminated environments. Human-to-human transmission of the virus is considered extremely rare and has not been documented in the United States.

The first bird flu death in the U.S. in 2024 was reported in Louisiana in January. The previous fatality in Washington occurred in November 2025 and was linked to the H5N5 strain.

Nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recorded 73 human bird flu infections from any H5 strain since the start of 2024. California has the highest number of cases with 38, followed by Washington with 13. Other states reporting cases include Colorado, Michigan, Oregon, Nevada, Iowa, Missouri, Texas, Louisiana, and Ohio.

Data indicates that 42 of these human cases have been linked to exposure to dairy cows, 24 to poultry farms, three to other animal exposure, and three to unknown sources. The H5N1 strain was first detected in U.S. cattle in 2024 and has since been confirmed in various animals, including chickens, cats, raccoons, skunks, wild dogs, bears, and dolphins.

Symptoms of H5N1 in humans can range from mild, flu-like symptoms such as eye redness, fever, cough, and sore throat, to severe complications like pneumonia, respiratory failure, kidney injuries, and organ failure in rare cases. The CDC advises that milk is generally not considered a risk for infection due to pasteurization processes.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has reported detecting bird flu in 268 wild bird samples across numerous states in the last 30 days.