First Human Fatality from Rare Bird Flu Strain Confirmed
Health officials in the United States have confirmed the first known human death from a rare strain of bird flu identified as H5N5. The victim, an elderly man from Washington state with pre-existing health conditions, had been hospitalised since early November after developing severe symptoms including high fever, confusion and respiratory complications.
Backyard Poultry Connection to Wild Birds
The man, residing in Grays Harbor county approximately 78 miles southwest of Seattle, maintained a backyard flock of domestic poultry that officials confirmed had been exposed to wild birds. This exposure is considered the likely source of the infection, marking the first documented human case of this particular avian influenza strain.
According to the Washington State Department of Health, the patient's underlying health conditions likely contributed to the severity of the infection. Health authorities have been monitoring individuals who had close contact with the man, but have reported no additional positive cases of avian influenza.
Public Health Risk Assessment
Both state and federal health agencies have moved to reassure the public, emphasising that the risk to general population remains low. In their official statement, Washington health officials confirmed: "No other people involved have tested positive for avian influenza" and stressed there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission of this virus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a separate statement earlier this month indicating that this isolated case doesn't suggest an increased public health risk. Health experts note that H5N5 doesn't present a greater threat to human health than the more common H5N1 virus, which has caused approximately 70 human infections in the US during 2024 and 2025, primarily among dairy and poultry workers experiencing mild symptoms.
The key difference between H5N5 and H5N1 lies in a specific protein that facilitates the virus's release from infected cells and promotes spread to surrounding cells. This distinction, while scientifically significant, doesn't currently translate to increased danger for the general public according to health authorities monitoring the situation.
