A Grays Harbor County, Washington resident has died from avian flu, state officials confirmed over the weekend. The patient was the first person to be diagnosed as having avian flu in the United States since February and the first human ever known to be infected with the H5N5 strain.
All previous human avian influenza infections had been caused by H5N1 and were relatively mild. However, one man died in January in Louisiana.
Little is known about the Washington patient. He or she, identified as an older adult with underlying health conditions, had a mixed backyard flock of domestic poultry at home that had exposure to wild birds. Washington state has had dozens of detections of avian flu in wild birds, waterfowl, and backyard poultry in the past weeks, part of a seasonal spike in activity.
The risk to the public remains low. No other people involved have tested positive for avian influenza.
"The risk to the public remains low. No other people involved have tested positive for avian influenza. Public health officials will continue to monitor anyone who was in close contact with the patient for symptoms to ensure that human-to-human spread has not occurred," officials said.
State officials also said the case is a reminder to get seasonal flu vaccines. "While the seasonal flu vaccine will not prevent bird flu infection, it reduces the risk of becoming sick with both human and avian influenza viruses at the same time. Though unlikely, infection with both viruses could result in the emergence of an avian influenza virus that is more easily transmitted from person to person," the statement said.
More Indiana poultry facility detections
Indiana is still the epicenter of commercial poultry activity, with 11 detections over the weekend according to the latest update from the US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
Included in the 11 detections are seven commercial duck breeder or broiler production facilities. Indiana is the nation’s largest duck producer. Outbreak sizes range from 23,000 to 2,900 affected birds.
Ten of the 11 detections in Indiana are in LaGrange County, and the other detection is in Elkhart. Both counties have had several recent detections.
APHIS noted several other poultry outbreaks, including a large commercial turkey outbreak in Edmunds County, South Dakota, affecting 35,400 birds, and a breeder hen facility in Wayne County, North Carolina, with 9,800 birds.
