First human death from rare H5N5 bird flu strain confirmed in US | World | News
one person inside United States Believed to be the first person to die from a rare type of disease bird flu. The older adult had underlying health conditions and was being treated for the H5N5 strain of bird flu after becoming the first person known to be infected, according to a statement released by the Washington State Department of Health.
U.S. health officials have said the risk to the public is low. They said the deceased was from Grays Harbor County, near Seattle. The individual kept a flock of domestic fowl that was exposed to wild birds. Health officials did not disclose whether the deceased was a man or a woman.
Health officials said in a statement: “The risk to the public remains low. No other persons involved have tested positive for bird flu.”
Health officials said they would monitor anyone who had close contact with the person, but “there is no evidence of transmission of this virus between humans.”
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a statement about the infection earlier this month, saying there was no information indicating an increased risk to public health as a result of this case.
H5N5 is not believed to be a greater human health threat than the H5N1 virus, which is behind a wave of 70 human infections reported in the United States in 2024 and 2025. Most of these infections are mild illnesses seen in workers on dairy and poultry farms.
The difference between H5N5 and H5N1 lies in a protein that enables the virus to be released from an infected cell, promoting the spread of the disease to surrounding cells.
Fifty confirmed cases of H1N1 bird flu have been recorded by the government since 39 October in England, one in Scotland, seven in Wales and three in Northern Ireland.
This compares with 81 confirmed cases of bird flu last year and six cases in 2023-24, according to official figures.
H5N1 was confirmed at a poultry farm in Claydon, Suffolk, this week and a surveillance zone was declared around the site.
Bird flu mainly affects birds but can also spread to humans through close contact. The NHS says it can be fatal but is “very rare” in the UK.
Symptoms of bird flu in humans can be mild or severe. These include high fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, wheezing, sneezing, eye irritation, and shortness of breath.
According to the NHS, antiviral drugs are available to treat bird flu.
