Yakima County resident dies after bird flu exposure

A Yakima County resident has died after developing severe bird flu illness following exposure at a dairy with infected cattle, the Yakima Health District said. The resident had underlying health conditions and was hospitalized before dying Sunday, Nov. 1, according to the district. The person’s identity, age and gender have not been released. The death is the first reported U.S. fatality from avian influenza in 2026 and the third reported U.S. bird flu death since 2024, according to health officials. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified the virus in the Washington case as H5N1. A CDC spokesperson said genetic analysis found no changes in the virus that would make it spread more easily or cause more severe illness. The district also reported a third confirmed human bird flu case in Yakima County. That patient had been exposed at a dairy with infected cattle, had mild or non-severe illness and did not require hospitalization, according to the district. Officials are monitoring people who had contact with the deceased resident and tracing contacts of the newly reported patient. Yakima County Health Officer Dave Atteberry said the risk to the general public...