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US Man Dies From Rare Bird Flu Strain
22 Nov
Summary
- A Washington state man has died from a rare H5N5 bird flu strain.
- The deceased had underlying health conditions and was exposed to wild birds.
- Health officials state the risk to the public remains low.
In a concerning development, a man in Washington state has become the first known human fatality attributed to the H5N5 strain of bird flu. The older adult, who had underlying health conditions, was hospitalized in early November exhibiting severe symptoms including fever, confusion, and respiratory distress.
Officials revealed the patient's domestic poultry flock had been exposed to wild birds, a likely source of infection. Despite this being the first known human case of H5N5, health authorities are maintaining that the risk to the general public remains low. They have stated that no other individuals involved have tested positive for avian influenza.
Contact tracing and monitoring are underway for those who had close contact with the patient, but there is no indication of human-to-human transmission. This H5N5 strain is not considered a greater threat than the H5N1 variant, which caused a larger number of human infections in recent years, primarily in farm workers.
