Washington resident dies after bird flu infection linked to dairy cattle exposure

A resident of Yakima County, Washington, died from complications of avian influenza after being exposed to infected cattle at a dairy farm.

Health officials said the infection was the H5N1 strain, the same virus that has caused two other U.S. deaths since the disease became a public health concern in 2024.

The state has identified 33 dairy herds with H5N1, and three human cases have been linked to dairy exposure. Local health agencies are tracing contacts and monitoring anyone who may have been exposed.

The CDC and state health departments continue to advise people working with livestock to take precautions, as the virus can spread from animals to humans.