Second Bird Flu Death Reported in the US

A resident of Washington state in the US has died after contracting the H5N5 strain of bird flu, health officials have announced. This marks the second bird flu-related death in the US in 2025.

The patient, described as an "elderly individual with underlying health conditions," had been hospitalized since the beginning of the month. Tests revealed that the patient was infected with the H5N5 strain of the avian influenza virus, the "first known human infection from this strain," according to the state's Department of Health.

Authorities reassured the public, emphasizing that "the risk to the general public remains low" and that "there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission of this virus." The likely source of infection was the patient's backyard poultry flock.

The CDC has recorded over 70 human cases of bird flu in the US this year. In January, a patient in Louisiana died after contracting the H5N1 strain.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded over 1,000 human cases of bird flu since 2023 in 25 countries, regardless of the strain.