Washington State Resident Believed To Be First To Die From Rare Bird Flu Strain

A resident of Washington state is believed to have succumbed to a rare strain of bird flu, making them the first known human infected by the H5N5 virus. The individual, an older adult with underlying health conditions from Grays Harbor County, had a backyard flock of domestic poultry that had been in contact with wild birds, according to the Washington State Department of Health.

State health officials have reassured the public that the risk of transmission is low, as no other individuals have tested positive for avian influenza. Close contacts of the infected person will be monitored, although there is currently no evidence of human-to-human transmission of the virus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that the risk to public health has not increased due to this isolated case. H5N5 is considered to be less of a threat to human health compared to the H5N1 virus, which caused mild illnesses in workers on dairy and poultry farms in recent years.

The difference between H5N5 and H5N1 lies in a specific protein that affects the release and spread of the virus within the body. Health officials continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as necessary.

This story has been corrected to remove references to the gender of the deceased individual, as officials have not disclosed this information.