A resident of Grays Harbor County, Washington, has died after being infected with a rare bird flu virus called H5N5. Officials say this is one of the first human cases of this type of bird flu in the United States.
The person who died was an older adult with existing health problems. The state health department has not released the person’s name or other personal details to respect the family’s privacy. Health officials say the person had a backyard flock of birds, which may be how the infection happened.
Tests confirmed that the virus in the patient was H5N5. The results were also confirmed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Samples taken from the backyard flock also showed the virus, which means the person may have caught it from their own birds or from wild birds nearby.
Authorities say that the risk to the general public is very low. So far, no other people who had contact with the infected person have tested positive for the virus. There is also no evidence that H5N5 spreads easily from person to person.
The Washington State Department of Health is monitoring people who were in close contact with the deceased. They remind bird owners to be careful and report any sick or dead birds, whether domestic or wild.
Bird flu, or avian influenza, is caused by influenza A viruses. These viruses often live in wild birds and sometimes infect domestic birds or, in rare cases, humans. Experts say that H5N5 is not more dangerous to humans than other bird flu types, like H5N1, which has caused some mild infections in the U.S. before.
Health officials advise people who keep birds to take safety steps. These include avoiding contact with sick or dead birds, cleaning bird cages and equipment, and reporting unusual bird deaths to authorities.
Even though the overall risk is low, this case shows that people who live near or raise birds should be careful and follow safety rules to prevent infections.
