First US Bird Flu Death of 2026 Reported in Washington

A Washington state resident died on Sunday after being hospitalized with severe illness caused by avian influenza, local health officials confirmed. The death marks the first fatality linked to the virus in the United States this year, according to the Associated Press.

The individual was exposed to infected cattle at a dairy farm in Yakima County. Health officials stated the patient had underlying health conditions but did not release the person's identity. The Yakima Health District offered condolences to the family in a news release issued on Sunday.

This death occurs amid a cluster of infections in the region. Since early October, officials in Yakima County have identified 33 dairy herds that tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza. The Yakima Health District, working with the Washington State Department of Health, has recorded three confirmed human cases in the county to date.

Alongside the fatal case, the district announced a third confirmed human infection on Sunday. This individual was also exposed to infected dairy cattle at a local farm. Unlike the patient who died, this person has not experienced severe illness and did not require hospitalization.

Public health partners are currently identifying and contacting individuals who had close contact with the infected patients to monitor for symptoms. County officials emphasized that the risk of infection for the general public remains low. They noted that dairy workers and others with close or prolonged contact with infected animals or environments are at greater risk.

Officials stated that human-to-human transmission is extremely rare and has never been documented in the United States. The CDC has tracked 72 human cases of bird flu across the country since 2024. The agency maintains that there is no known person-to-person spread and that the risk to the general public remains low. The first US death from bird flu complications was recorded in January 2025.