Washington resident dies of bird flu, first US fatality of 2026

A Washington state resident who contracted bird flu from infected dairy cattle has died, the first US fatality from the virus this year.

• The Yakima County resident, who had underlying health conditions, was hospitalized with severe illness and died on Sunday.
• Health officials reported the county's third human case of bird flu, with mild symptoms and no hospitalization.
• Since October 8, 33 dairy herds in Washington have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza.
• Officials said the risk to the general public remains low and no human-to-human transmission has been documented in the US.