Tue Nov 18 05:10:00 UTC 2025: Washington State Resident Tests Positive for Bird Flu; First U.S. Case in Nine Months
OLYMPIA, WA – A Washington state resident has been diagnosed with bird flu (avian influenza), marking the first confirmed human case in the United States in nine months, according to the Washington State Department of Health (WSDOH).
The patient, an older adult with underlying health conditions, developed symptoms including high fever, confusion, and respiratory distress, leading to hospitalization in early November. Testing revealed the presence of the H5N5 strain of bird flu, previously unseen in humans.
State Epidemiologist Dr. Scott Lindquist assured the public that the risk to the general population remains low. “The risk to the general public is very low, and we’ve never had human-to-human transmission,” he stated. “We don’t want to be the first, obviously, and we’re going to be careful and make sure that we’re not missing that.”
An investigation is underway to determine the source of the infection, focusing on potential contact with wild or domestic birds. The patient owns a mixed backyard flock of domestic poultry that had exposure to wild birds, which health officials say are the most likely source of exposure.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is closely monitoring the situation. Public health officials are also tracing and contacting individuals who may have been in close contact with the patient.
This confirmation marks the first human case of bird flu in Washington state this year. While this is not the first reported bird flu case in the U.S., there have been at least 70 confirmed cases among humans in the U.S., not counting the Washington state patient, according to the CDC.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture previously reported a bird flu strain impacting millions of birds across the U.S. in early March 2024, with subsequent investigations into illnesses affecting dairy cows in several states and a case involving a Texas dairy worker.
The CDC and public health officials reiterate that there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission and the risk to the public is currently considered low.
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