US bird flu: Health officials in Washington state say an older adult has died from complications of a bird flu infection caused by a strain never before seen in humans.
The patient, who had underlying health problems, had been hospitalised and was being treated for H5N5 avian influenza, the state Department of Health announced on Friday.
This is the first human case of bird flu reported in the United States in nine months and only the second recorded death linked to the virus in the country. Despite this, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintains that the overall risk to the general public remains low.
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People who were in close contact with the patient are being monitored, but so far, no additional infections have been detected, and there is no indication that the virus has spread from person to person.
“The person had a backyard flock of mixed domestic birds,” the Washington Department of Health said in a statement. Testing revealed avian influenza in the environment surrounding the flock, indicating that exposure to domestic poultry, their surroundings, or wild birds is the most likely source of infection.
Bird flu has circulated in wild birds for decades, but the current US outbreak, which began in January 2022, has involved more infections in mammals than in previous years.
According to the CDC, 70 human cases of bird flu have been reported in the US during this outbreak. Another older adult with underlying health conditions died in January after contracting the virus. While a few cases have been severe, most people infected so far have had mild symptoms such as eye irritation and fever. The majority of cases have been associated with people who work closely with animals: 41 cases have been linked to cattle exposure and 24 to poultry work. A few others involved different kinds of animal contact, and in three cases, the source of exposure is unclear.
The CDC advises people who handle animals to use protective gear and take care when dealing with animal waste. It recommends caution when cleaning bird feeders or areas contaminated with bird droppings, as well as avoiding contact with sick or dead wildlife.
Washington health officials further suggest that people who may come into contact with domestic or wild birds get the seasonal flu shot. While the regular flu vaccine does not protect against bird flu, it lowers the already small risk of being infected with both viruses at the same time.