A person in Washington state is believed to be the first human to die from the rare H5N5 strain of bird flu, though health officials say the risk to the public remains low.
The patient, an older adult with underlying health conditions from Grays Harbor County, was hospitalized in early November after developing fever, confusion and breathing problems. Health authorities said the individual had a backyard poultry flock that had been exposed to wild birds.
The Washington State Department of Health said no other people linked to the case have tested positive and there is no evidence of person-to-person transmission. Officials will continue to monitor close contacts as a precaution.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said earlier this month that the case does not suggest an increased risk to public health. Experts added that H5N5 is not currently considered more dangerous to humans than H5N1, which has caused dozens of mostly mild infections among farm workers in recent years.
